Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Ορυκτοί Πόροι-Πετρολογία και ΠεριβάλλονLibrary of the School of Science
Supervisors info:
Αριάδνη Αργυράκη, Καθηγήτρια Τμήμα Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, ΕΚΠΑ,
Ευστράτιος Κελεπερτζής, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Τμήμα Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, ΕΚΠΑ,
Εμμανουήλ Βασιλάκης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Τμήμα Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΕΣ ΜΕΤΑΛΛΕΥΤΙΚΕΣ ΑΠΟΘΕΣΕΙΣ ΣΤΟΝ ΕΘΝΙΚΟ ΔΡΥΜΟ ΣΟΥΝΙΟΥ-ΣΧΕΣΗ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΥΣΑ ΒΛΑΣΤΗΣΗ
Translated title:
Historical mining waste deposits in the Sounion Natural Reserve areaCorrelation with surrounding vegetation
Summary:
Intense mining activity both during ancient times and during the 19th and 20th
centuries in the area of Lavreotiki resulted in extensive piles of mining waste that
remain exposed until today. Specifically, the mining and metallurgical processing of
Pb-Zn-Ag sulfide ore from the replacement of marbles as well as their oxidized parts
(iron-manganese formations - gossan), caused significant impacts on the environment
of Lavreotiki Peninsula. In areas heavily contaminated by metals, the vegetation is
usually sparse, its composition changes, plant vitality decreases, and morphological
variations are observed in some plant species. Nevertheless, with time, many native
plant species manage to develop suitable contamination resistance mechanisms.
In this context, the objectives of the present thesis include: i) the visual mapping,
using an unmanned aerial vehicle, of specific mining waste piles within the Sounion
National Forest and the visualization of the relationship with the surrounding
vegetation, ii) the study of the seasonal changes on the boundary between waste piles
and vegetation in relation to changing meteorological parameters, and iii) the
investigation of the relationship between the visualized observations and the
physicochemical characteristics of the waste piles.
Aerial visual images (photos and videos) were taken repeatedly in six visits to the area
between October 2020 and December 2022 with the aim of having images that would
capture the seasonal change of vegetation. The processing and evaluation of the visual
material was carried out using appropriate software in order to visualize the study
areas in 3D. Subsequently, the results were discussed based on the description of the
physicochemical characteristics of the piles as derived from previous studies.
The results include the detailed aerial mapping of the mining waste piles and the
production of video to better understand the interaction between vegetation and the
mining waste over the course of the year. In conclusion, this work contributes to the
more detailed recording and environmental assessment of the mining waste piles in
the areas of Kamariza and Sounion in Lavreotiki, which will form a usable database
for the management and protection of the Sounion National Forest and the wider area
of Lavreotiki Geopark.
Main subject category:
Science
Keywords:
Mining waste, optical imaging, unmanned aerial vehicles
