STUDY ON THE RECLAMATION OF MINE WASTE DUMPS IN THE SLOVINKY VILLAGE (SLOVAKIA)

Long-term intensive mining activities result in the irreversible changes in landscape. The mining landscape is a specific type of landscape, which has specific features in terms of its geology, geomorphology, and environment. Dumps, ponds, undermined areas, and caving zones are some of the negative consequences of mining activities in mining landform. The remediation of each form needs to be considered separately, as it may be technically and financially demanding. This paper deals with the occurrence of unique group of plants at reclaimed mine dumps. Mine dumps are usually located on or near the mine site. Waste rock from the underground mining is stored on the mine site. Dumps are stony, with a high content of skeleton, and low content of essential nutrients and water. The limiting factor is the high heavy metal content. The emergence of the so-called ecological islands on reclaimed mine site is an interesting phenomenon. The dumps with high heavy metal concentration are colonised by a specific species plants. Some of the species (immigrants) unable to adapt have for many decades been excluded from the vegetation. Ultimately, a small group of plants is able to grow under the given phytotoxic conditions. These plant communities called heavy metal tolerant plants have evolved into unique species habitats found nowhere else.