No 4 (2025)

The structure and characteristic features of mining and industrial ecological-geological systems (EGS) widespread in Belarus are analyzed. It is shown that the considered mining and industrial ecological-geological systems are important components of technogenesis in Belarus, specific anthropogenic ecological-geological systems playing a major role in the technogenic ecosystems of the republic. They have their own special structure reflecting the influence of various technogenic factors on their abiotic (lithotope, hydrotope, atmotope, edaphotope) and biotic (microbocenosis, phytocenosis, zoocenosis, society) components. All components of these mining EGS, both abiotic and biotic, have a set of special characteristics caused by the influence of anthropogenic and technogenic transformation of the corresponding components of natural ecosystems and the creation of new man-made (artificial) ecological-geological systems, which must be taken into account in their taxonomy, description and analysis of the ecological functions of the lithosphere. Characteristic features of different types of mining EGS have been identified and described: mine-dump, quarry-dump, oil and gas production and peat-industrial, as the most common in Belarus. The established patterns and features of the mining EGS of Belarus can be considered as common for similar ecological-geological systems in Russia, which must be taken into account in engineering-ecological studies and engineering-ecological surveys.

The anthropogenic factor can significantly influence both the formation of potential mudflows and solid composition of mudflows, as well as their volume and degree of involvement in mudflow processes. Based on approved technical standards, an algorithm has been developed to assess the anthropogenic impact on the parameters of mudflow in conditions of low mudflow activity and rare occurrence of natural mudflows by the example of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk urban district. To assess the impact of anthropogenic factor on the development of mudflows within the study area, the area of anthropogenically transformed landscapes and their share in the area of mudflow basins was initially estimated. Despite a relatively small area of development within the mudflow basins, it is worth assessing not only the quantitative but also the qualitative impact of anthropogenic-altered landscapes on mudflow processes. Currently, the average area of anthropogenic impact within mudflow basins is 8-9%, and it reaches 20-26% on the borders of residential areas at the exit from the mountainous part of the valleys reaches. The impact of anthropogenic landscapes on the parameters of mudflow depends on the balance of morphometric and erosive (landscape) factors within a mudflow basin, due to the degree of territory development and the relative position of the design channel within the mudflow profile. In steep mountainous sections of mudflow rivers with river bed slopes above 150‰, anthropogenic impact with an area of up to 10% does not significantly affect the mudflow parameters, since the morphometric characteristics of the mudflow basin prevail over them. However, the frequency of mudflow formation may increase and the local risk of mudflow may rise for the engineering objects located directly in the area of the mudflow origin. With an increase in the proportion of anthropogenic impact above 10%, there is a significant rise in the mudflow parameters, since the erosive parameters of the mudflow basin begin to prevail over the morphometric ones. This pattern progresses with a decrease in the morphometric parameters of the basin and increases significantly with the slopes of mudflow channels above 100‰. At the moment, the greatest anthropogenic impact on the parameters of the mudflow is noted in the lower reaches of the rivers on the border of the residential territory.

The article analyzes the changes in the temperature regime of the permafrost in the western Yamal region based on meteorological and geocryological data. Authors highlight that since 1976, the average annual air temperature in Russia has been increasing by 0.49°C every decade, with the most significant warming observed in the polar regions. The study focuses on the temperature rise in the permafrost at depths of up to 100 m, analyzing data from 49 boreholes and confirming a temperature increase of 1 to 3°C over the last 50 years. These changes pose risks to the strength characteristics of soils, which is crucial for construction projects in the area.

The cultural layer of Moscow is a complex anthropogenic formation reflecting the centuries-old history of the city. Its thickness varies from 0.2 to 10.8 m (the average value is 2 m), gradually decreasing towards the outskirts. In the central regions, sands predominate, and in the south and north, loams and sandy loams with inclusions of technogenic origin (10-40%) of construction debris, ceramics, and metal artifacts are prevailing. A generalized description of soils of the Moscow cultural layer is given as a general classifier of their varieties, and a map of this formation thickness is presented in isolines for the entire territory of the city. The stratigraphy reflects the historical stages of the city development: the lower horizons (depth up to 5-6 m) contain the remains of wooden structures of the XVIII century, burials and pile systems of coastal fortifications; the upper layers (up to 4.5 m) include backfill ground of the XIX--XX centuries (brick rubble, cement) and artifacts of the industrial era. Despite the variability of composition and thickness, no direct correlations with the underlying soils, their compaction or groundwater level have been identified. This highlights the complexity of forming a cultural layer as an integral natural and historical body, where anthropogenic and natural components interact.

The Levikha group of copper pyrite deposits is located in Kirovgrad district, Sverdlovsk region (the Middle Urals). In 1927, open-pit mining was started. In 2003, the mine was liquidated by flooding the mine workings. By 2007, the underground workings were flooded, and a technogenic pond was formed on the northern flank of the mine, where acid mine water (AMW) was discharged. Any mining enterprise has a negative impact on nearby water bodies, and the Levikha River flowing through the territory of the Levikha Mine is no exception. To accommodate the overburden and substandard ore dump (currently 22.6 hectares in area and 1.45 million m3 in volume), the riverbed in the upper reaches of the river was diverted 500 meters to the south. Acidic sub-dump water (average pH = 2.21, mineralization 32.5 g/l) directly flows into the Levikha River, there are no measures for collection and neutralization. Acid mine water is pumped to the neutralization station from the Kuzka River basin, and after neutralization it is discharged into the clarifier pond (built in 1959). Further water is discharged into the Levikha River bed. Pumping water from another basin increases the flow rate of the Levikha River more than twice. According to the calculation of the total pollution index, the whole Levikha River valley has extreme technogenic pollution. Determination of migration forms of components and calculation of saturation index using Visual MINTEQ 3.1 software showed that sub-dump water and clarifier pond are the key factors in changing the hydrochemical composition of the Levikha River. All the sludge accumulated over the years of operation of the clarifier pond is now a source of secondary water pollution of the Levikha River, preventing its self-purification. An algorithm for assessing the conditions of Levikha River formation is presented. At the moment it is safe to say that the hydrological and hydrochemical regime of the Levikha River is completely determined by anthropogenic factors.