Urdari Lake, the one considered in the present study : A Part from the Book Chapter : Ecological Approach on Investigating the Open Pit Lakes Developed in Oltenia Mining Region: A Case Study of Urdari Lake, Romania

Urdari Lake, the one considered in the present study, began to form at the end of 2003 – beginning of 2004, with the cessation of productive activities and the withdrawal of equipments from the open-pit of the same name, in the gap formed between the final slopes of the open-pit and those of the inner dump. In other words, it can be regarded as a young lake, which was little studied from an ecological point of view, at the level of 2010, thus representing an attractive objective for the authors.
The research was resumed in 2019, and we appreciate that it can provide valuable information that can be extrapolated to other open-pit lakes in the Oltenia Mining Basin (existing, such as: Moi, Beterega and South Peşteana; or planned, such as: North Peșteana and Roșia).

Author(s) Details:

Florin Faur,
Department of Environmental Engineering and Geology, University of Petrosani, University Street, No. 20, 332006, Petrosani, Romania.
Izabela-Maria Apostu,
Department of Environmental Engineering and Geology, University of Petrosani, University Street, No. 20, 332006, Petrosani, Romania.
Maria Lazăr,
Department of Environmental Engineering and Geology, University of Petrosani, University Street, No. 20, 332006, Petrosani, Romania.


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Recent global research developments in Ecological Aspects of Open-Pit Lakes in Oltenia Mining Basin

1. Formation of Open-Pit Lakes:
o Open-pit lakes have become increasingly common in Romania, particularly in the Oltenia Mining Basin.
o The lignite deposit extracted from Dacian and Romanian formations is the primary resource for these lakes.
o The flooding process in the remaining gaps of open-pit mines is generally natural, with water coming from underground sources (phreatic and pressurized aquifers) and precipitation runoff from surrounding terrains [1].
2. Ecological Aspects:
o Researchers have studied the ecological aspects of these lakes, focusing on the Urdari Lake formed in the remaining gap of the Urdari open-pit within the Rovinari Mining Basin.
o While the study provides data on existing biotopes and biocenoses (species identification), detailed investigations related to populations, ecosystem production, energy, and matter flows require more time and resources for future development1.
3. Other Lakes in the Area:
o Given similar conditions (bioclimate, geology, topography), the preliminary conclusions from the Urdari Lake study can be extrapolated to other lakes in the region.
o Examples of other open-pit lakes include South Peșteana, Moi, Roșia, and North Peșteana [1].

References

1. Faur, F., Apostu, I. M., & Lazăr, M. (2022). Consideration regarding the aquatic ecosystems developed in the open pit lakes from Oltenia Mining Region. Górnictwo Odkrywkowe, 63.

2. Faur, Florin, Izabela-Maria Apostu, and Maria Lazăr. 2024. “Reassessment of the Stability Conditions in the Lignite Open Pits of Oltenia (Romania) in Relation to the New Local Seismic Context as an Imperative for Sustainable Mining” Sustainability 16, no. 4: 1384. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041384

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