The development of the landscape affected by the extraction of mineral resources in the Jeseník Region (Czech Republic)

Abstract This study analyses the long-term transformation of the landscape in the Jeseník Region (Czech Republic) resulting from the extraction of mineral resources, particularly Silesian granite and Silesian marble. These raw materials, historically quarried within the Žulová Massif and adjacent areas, played a key role in the region’s economic and cultural development from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Using multitemporal aerial photographs from 1953, 1964, 1976 and 1995, combined with a 2022 orthophoto, the research reconstructs changes in quarry areas, land use and landscape structure. Historical aerial imagery was digitized, georeferenced and vectorized, enabling precise GIS-based analyses of spatial and temporal dynamics. Results show that while the total area occupied by quarries remained similar in 1953 and 1995 (approx. 31 ha), the internal structure of mining activities changed significantly: some quarries ceased operation, others expanded, and several new sites appeared. Long-abandoned quarries became predominantly reforested, with forests covering more than three quarters of former extraction areas by 2022. Only 1.39 ha of the original 1953 quarry surfaces remain active today. The study demonstrates that aerial photographs are a valuable tool for assessing landscape evolution in mining regions, enabling both qualitative interpretation and quantitative evaluation of land-cover change.