TRANSFORMATION OF RIVER CHANNEL DURING ALLUVIAL PLACER EXPLOITATION

Abstract

Of the main ways of gold placers exploitation, the most devastating for environments is dredging. The paper considers environmental consequences of dredge usage for placer mining in mountain rivers of medium order. The intensity of impact on channel system depends on the work duration and area, as well as on characteristics of regional environments. Capability of river to restore the channel characteristics after placer has been abandoned is found as relationship of sum of the river discharge and gradient to degree of disturbance.