Environmentally Degraded Mining Areas of Eastern Slovakia As a Potential Object of Geotourism

Vladimír Čech, Bohuslava Gregorová, Juliana Krokusová, Vladislava Košová, Pavel Hronček, Mário Molokáč and Jana Hlaváčová
Additional contact information
Vladimír Čech: Department of Geography and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, Ulica 17. novembra 1, 081 16 Prešov, Slovakia
Bohuslava Gregorová: Department of Geography and Geology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Tajovského 40, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
Juliana Krokusová: Department of Geography and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, Ulica 17. novembra 1, 081 16 Prešov, Slovakia
Vladislava Košová: Department of Geography and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, Ulica 17. novembra 1, 081 16 Prešov, Slovakia
Pavel Hronček: Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Institute of Earth Resources, Technical University of Košice, Letná 9, 042 00 Košice, Slovakia
Mário Molokáč: Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Institute of Earth Resources, Technical University of Košice, Letná 9, 042 00 Košice, Slovakia
Jana Hlaváčová: Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Institute of Earth Resources, Technical University of Košice, Letná 9, 042 00 Košice, Slovakia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 15, 1-26

Abstract: The paper deals with the possibilities of further use of environmentally degraded and polluted areas on the example of (mining and industrial) activities residues in the Central Spiš region in eastern Slovakia. On the example of the Slovinky mining tailing pond, the Markušovce mining tailing pond, and two mining dumps in Rudňany, we deal with the analysis of their condition in terms of heavy metal content, as well as the real and potential alternative use of these sites. Data were collected using field trips and field research in sediment sampling in all localities and by preparing a questionnaire for opinion polls. The content of heavy metals from all four places, the results of field trips, and the questionnaire were analyzed. The article points out the current state of these objects in terms of their load with heavy metals and considers their possible alternative uses, especially in terms of geotourism or education. The implementation of geotourism in the studied sites brings along benefits, not only for visitors and students, but also has a positive impact on sites themselves and on the local community. The results of such analyses should also serve as a basis (starting point) in planning the renewal and further development of such areas.

Keywords: tailing pond; mining heap; heavy metals; poll survey; geotourism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/15/6029/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/15/6029/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:15:p:6029-:d:390578

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().