Subsidence hazards connected to quarrying activities in a karst area: the case of the Moncalvo sinkhole event uus kasitlus

• Published in: Estonian journal of earth sciences Vol. 57; no. 3; p. 125
• Main Authors: Bonetto, Sabrina, Fiorucci, Adriano, Fornaro, Mauro, Vigna, Bartolomeo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Estonian Academy Publishers 01-09-2008
• Subjects: Distribution; Environmental aspects; Gypsum; Methods; Mineral industry; Mines and mineral resources; Mining industry; Practice; Quarries and quarrying; Estonia
• ISSN: 1736-4728

Gypsum is an important raw material for constructions and other industrial sectors. In Piedmont (NW Italy), main gypsum bodies are located in the Monferrato area, where large open pits and underground quarries are present. The gypsum-bearing formation outcropping in this area shows typical geological, structural, and hydrogeological features, which affect the quarrying and the related interaction with natural phenomena, human activities, and land use. In particular, gypsum karst has considerable influence on mining operations, as well as mining operations can produce strong impact on gypsum karst. In Monferrato, a specific case of interaction between the quarrying activity and geological, hydrogeological, and territorial setting is represented by the event of water inrush that happened in the Moncalvo underground quarry in association with the development of a surface sinkhole phenomenon. Key words: gypsum, quarries, karst, inrush, sinkhole, NW Italy. Kips on oluline toormaterjal nii ehituses kui muudes toostusharudes. Piemonte (Loode-Itaalias) peamised kipsilasundid paiknevad Monferrato piirkonnas, kus on ka suured karjaarid ja kaevandused. Seal paljandub kipsi sisaldav kihind, mis on tuupilise geoloogilise, geostruktuurse ja hudrogeoloogilise ehitusega, mojustades nii kaevandamist kui ka suhteid seotud loodusnahtuste, inimtegevuse ning maakasutusega. Eriti tugevasti mojustab kaevandamist kipsilasundi karstumus, nii nagu kaevetood avaldavad olulist moju ka kipsi karstumisele. On kasitletud spetsiifilist juhtumit, mis toimus Monferratos, kui kaevandamise, geoloogiliste ja hudrogeoloogiliste tingimuste ning territoriaalse paiknemise koosmoju tulemusel tekkis pinnale ulatuv kurisu ja selle kaudu akiline vee sissetung Moncalvo kaevandusse.