GW,

What you are showing are extreme examples of mining projects which were never reclaimed back to their site originalities.

I have dedicated 35 yrs to site reclamation and the environment keeping industry and the public in check and I am a believer the end result does not have to look like these photos.

A great example of an open pit coal mine reclamation project is that of the Luscar-Coal Valley site 100km SE of Edson, Alberta Canada in the Rocky Mtn Foothills. The disturbance on the landscape is 19km in length, 2.5km wide in rolling terrain with slopes varying from 5-30%. Depth of the pit varys depending on where the coal seam ends.

Since 1979, the Company has focused on reclaming the site and in general the site is equal to or better than it's originality. Today, wildlife frequent the Area (elk, deer, moose and sheep) as there is an abundance of forage and minerals on site. The lowest spots of the crater/pit are now lakes which are stocked with trout for angling purposes. The Company has also designed hiking trails on the site which are used frequently by recreationalists.

So my point is, if site reclamation is planned and managed responsibily by both Industry and Govnt., the watershed and landscape end result can become something pristine and scenic with minimal impact to the environment.

Based on the social responsibilities Crystallex has committed to date I would expect the Company to meet their environmental obligations and standards layed out by the Ven Govnt when completing site reclamation.

http://www.environment.alberta.ca/documents...