The sand extraction potential
of embedded land surface lowering in the Netherlands
M.J. van der
Meulen, M.P.E. de Kleine, J.G.
Veldkamp, C.W. Dubelaar, H.S. Pietersen
Netherlands Institute of Applied GeoScience TNO,
P.O. Box 80015. NL-2508
TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
Abstract
In the Netherlands, mineral extraction by means of dredging or quarrying
meets with considerable societal resistance. Land surface lowering prior to
large land reconstruction projects may raise fewer objections. We have
calculated the potential yields of sand and gravel from land surface lowering
embedded in planned building and construction projects, and in nature, farmland
and recreation area development. Our primary data sets were a compilation of
spatial plans for the period 1995-2005 and about 95,000 borehole descriptions. Even
if embedded consistently, land surface lowering would contribute modestly (up
to 5.4 Mio m³/a) to the filling sand provision (annual demand 45-50 Mio m³/a).
Keywords: The
Netherlands, mineral extraction, spatial planning, land surface lowering, sand,
gravel
In:
Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 83(2), 147-151, 2004 (full text)