Earth Sciences 2017; 6(5-1): 8-16 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/earth doi: 10.11648/j.earth.s.2017060501.12 ISSN: 2328-5974 (Print); ISSN: 2328-5982 (Online) Present Landscapes and Their Ecological States in the Ore Mining Region of Chiatura Elene Salukvadze, Tamila Chaladze, Tamar Khardziani, Ketevan Gogidze Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia Email address: elene.salukvadze@gmail.com (E. Salukvadze), chaladzetamila@gmail.com (T. Chaladze), tamar.khardziani@tsu.ge (T. Khardziani), qetusi86@gmail.com (K. Gogidze) To cite this article: Elene Salukvadze, Tamila Chaladze, Tamar Khardziani, Qetevan Gogidze. Present Landscapes and Their Ecological States in the Ore Mining Region of Chiatura. Earth Sciences. Special Issue: New Challenge for Geography: Landscape Dimensions of Sustainable Development. Vol. 6, No. 5-1, 2017, pp. 8-16. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.s.2017060501.12 Received: May 6, 2017; Accepted: May 8, 2017; Published: July 11, 2017 Abstract: Comprehensive studies have been carried out in the manganese deposit areas in Chiatura. The studies showed changes in separate components of the nature – relief, air, water, soil, which have taken place due to anthropogenic, namely, technogenic influence and peculiarities of ecological states of the components. Using literary sources, expedition materials, aerospace images and topographic maps we have compiled a large scale map (1:50 000) of the landscapes of the mining region of Chiatura; The scheme depicting ecological condition; We have also revealed ecologically hazardous foci. Keywords: Landscapes, Ecological States, Manganese Mines, Chiatura 1. Introduction Mining complexes, which include excavation and exploitation of ores, make geodynamic, geochemical, physical, technogeneous and other kinds of influences on the environment. Such activities cause considerable changes in the medium of ore mining areas. One of such examples is the ore mining region of Chiatura (ar. 272 km 2 ) (Fig. 1), which is situated in Imereti (Zemo Imereti) in the gorge of the river Kvirila, 400-800 m above sea level, in the north-western part of Zemo Imereti Upland, in Chiatura Municipality (ar. 542km), on the structural plateau of Chiatura, which reaches its maximum height at the Goradziri Mountain (1100 m). The surface of the Zemo Imereti Upland is segmented by the gorges of the rivers Kvirila, Dzirula, Dumala, Sadzalikhevi and Khelmosmula. At some places it is cut by deep, canyon- like valleys. There are many landslides and rockslides observed on the Chiatura Plateau. A karst relief has developed in the Cretaceous limestones. Here more than 100 caves have been observed. Exploitation of the Chiatura Ore began in 1879 and till 1990 (before Declaration of Independence of Georgia) 203 million tons of raw materials were extracted and 108 million tons of commodity products were sold [1]. Nowadays the Chiatura Ore is exploited by GEORGIAN MANGANESE, LLC. The Oligocene deposits, including manganese, are almost horizontally situated on the Cretaceous limestones on the ore territory. The limestones are cut by deep canyon-like valleys of the river Kvirila and its tributaries, which separate out certain plateaus. The most part of the manganese minerals is laid out on these plateaus. On the right bank of the river Kvirila there are the plateaus of Rgani, Bunikauri, Tabagrebi, Mgvimevi, Darkveti and Sareki, while the plateaus of Perevisa, Shukruti, Itkhvisi, Merevi and Pasieti are situated on its left bank. The manganese is extracted by deep method (mining of ore by boring or explosion) and surface method, i.e. open cast mining. All the components and especially the relief of the landscape have significantly changed. The manganese area is criss-crossed by numerous tunnels. The lengths of some of them exceed 2 km. The total length of all the tunnels is approximately 200 km [2]. Here numerous relief forms created as a result of mining works can be observed: caves, technogeneous surface collapses, piles of broods – slag heaps and etc. Therefore, there is quite appalling ecological state in the Chiatura areas. 1100 ha fertile lands have become useless, the soil has eroded, sources have disappeared, the natural balance has been disturbed. Open mining of the manganese ore was resulted in deserting the territory of villages and the