Poland’s Spółka Restrukturyzacji Kopalń (SRK) has completed reclamation of over 500 hectares of post-mining land and is planning to reclaim another 10 square kilometers, according to the company’s CEO Jarosław Wieszołek. Speaking at the annual Conference of Mining Municipalities in Rybnik, he stressed that spoil heaps should be seen as a project and a potential resource, not a problem.
Wieszołek participated in a panel dedicated to the reclamation of mining heaps and their future use. He explicitly called for a change in mindset about these areas.
– In the context of heaps, I will not use the word problem. I prefer the terms undertaking, project, or potential – said Jarosław Wieszołek, CEO of SRK. – That is how we think about these areas, and the reclamation processes we carry out aim to return these lands to the economy and to residents – he emphasized.
Scale of the undertaking
Wieszołek highlighted the scale of work already completed and the challenges ahead for SRK. He noted that the company had finished reclaiming more than 500 hectares of land. The next phase involves reclaiming a total area of 10 square kilometers (1,000 hectares).
– To visualize the scale, this area can be compared to towns such as Skoczów or Mikołajki. I will always argue that these 10 square kilometers represent a potential in terms of real estate resources that can be put into reuse – said Wieszołek.
During the conference, held on June 9 in Rybnik, SRK also presented its experiences with reclamation of specific heaps: Pokój in Ruda Śląska, Wrzosy in Pszów, and Słupiec in Nowa Ruda.
Role of local governments
It was stressed that reclamation is only the first stage of the process. Equally important is the subsequent effective development of these lands. Wieszołek underlined that it is not the company that determines the direction of development.
– It is not the entrepreneur who determines the directions of development. It is the local governments, as representatives of residents, who set the future of these areas. The final effect depends on our cooperation – stated Jarosław Wieszołek, CEO of SRK.
SRK is responsible for the effective management, reclamation, and revitalization of acquired post-mining areas. It also supports local municipalities by transferring land, facilities, and post-industrial infrastructure, thus creating development levers.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Materiały prasowe / SRK
