Title: Regional Profile Report - Central Europe

• deformation of the ground surface (rising and lowering of the surface due to instability
of former shafts), resulting in damages on buildings and infrastructures
• ascending ground water levels
• change of chemical conditions in the ground water and in dump heaps, possibility of
toxic elution
• contaminated sites on (former) industrial areas 36
• unorganised and visual dominant heap sites (long-term stability of dumps is unclear) 37
The period since 1990 could be characterised as a 2 nd phase of rehabilitation. In this process
more attention was paid to the long-term and often complex consequences of the mining
legacies. Especially the problems with ascending groundwater levels were an obstacle to the
town and infrastructure planning in the region. Hence mining-related damages were
documented in various surveys 38 and a detailed study for the region Oelsnitz-Zwickau
showed the effects of the surface’s movement (in some cases up to 17m) and gave
prognosis for effects in the region. 39
The lack of government funding for this 2 nd phase of rehabilitation remains one of the crucial
problems for the region 40 . Legally neither the Federal State of Germany nor the State of
Saxony is responsible for the impacts of the former hard coal mining. Funding is only
available in the case of an imminent threat to the public. The FLOEZ municipalities have
made great efforts to co-finance investment in rehabilitation, spending around 10 – 15million
€ only on damages to infrastructures due to surface movement 41 . Nevertheless, the general
lack of funds hampers the rehabilitation process and is a considerable financial burden for
the affected communities. The rehabilitation projects so far included 42 :
36
Here the former coking plants and uranium ore processing areas in Zwickau are regarded as especially
problematic
37
There are about 50 heaps alone in the city of Zwickau
38
e.g. „Beherrschung und Nutzung der Bergbaufolgewirkungen sowie Aufwertung von Bergbaufolgelandschaft,
-flächen und Baulichkeiten“ (C&E Consulting & Engineering GmbH, 2001); „Integrale Altlastenbehandlung
– Schwermetallbelastungen im Untersuchungsraum Hohndorf, Lugau, Oelsnitz“; „Untersuchung von
Sickerwässern der Steinkohlenhalden im Raum Oelsnitz“ (Bergakademie Freiberg, 2001)
39
„Komplexuntersuchung zu Auswirkungen des ehemaligen Steinkohlebergbaus im Raum Oelsnitz-Zwickau“
(LfULG Sachsen, 1999)
40
This is in stark contrast to the nearby Uranium-mining district Aue-Schlema, where the state-funded WISMUT
AG is responsible for the implementation of rehabilitation measures.
41
See WIREG (2009): “Kennen sie das Geheimnis dieser Region? Informationen zum Steinkohlebergbau in der
Region Zwickau, Oelsnitz, Lugau”
42
See WIREG (2009): “Kennen sie das Geheimnis dieser Region? Informationen zum Steinkohlebergbau in der
Region Zwickau, Oelsnitz, Lugau” and READY-Project: Initial City Report Zwickau / Schlußerhebungen
Regional Profile Zwickau-Lugau-Oelsnitz
43