Valorization of coal mining waste dumps in the area of Gliwice city (Southern Poland)

The purpose of the paper is inventarization, mapping and valorization of coal mining waste dumps, which occur in the area of Gliwice city (southern Poland, NW part of USCB), for the needs of reclamation and management of examined objects and defining potential recovery of coal from the dumps. Valorization of post-mining waste dumps has been done using original methodology, considering problems of reclamation, management, accessibility of the dumps as well as environmental hazards. On three valorized post-mining waste dumps, occurring in the boundaries of Gliwice, there were disposed mining wastes from two underground coal mines: Gliwice and Sośnica-Makoszowy. None of dumps is endangered by self-ignition and fires, but one dump is partially burned. Two objects represent tabular dumps, which have been reclaimed using mixed type of biological reclamation: tree reclamation and grass cultivation. One dump is partially taken apart. All dumps have good accessibility. One dump is partially burned, what reduces possibilities of recovery of coal from waste material. Two other dumps could be considered as potential anthropogenic deposits, but in one case a limiting factor is relative small surface of the dump.