Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile

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International Symposium on Land
Reclamation and Ecological
Restoration (LRER 2017), October
20-23, 2017, Beijing, PR China First
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LAND RECLAMATION IN ECOLOGICAL FRAGILE AREAS
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON LAND RECLAMATION
AND ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION (LRER 2017), 20–23 OCTOBER 2017, XI’AN, P.R. CHINA

Land Reclamation in Ecological

Fragile Areas

Chief Editor
Zhenqi Hu
College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining
and Technology, Beijing, P.R. China
CRC Press/Balkema is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

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ISBN: 978-1-138-05103-4 (Hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-315-16658-2 (eBook)
 Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas – Hu (Ed.)
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-1-138-05103-4

Table of contents

Preface xi
Organizers xiii
Consultative committee of the conference
Organization committee
International academic committee
Members of editorial committee xvii

Mining and reclamation policies, regulations and standard

Surface coal mine permit application for successful reclamation, semi-arid shortgrass
prairie (Wyoming, USA) 3
A.K. Waitkus
40 years of SMCRA: What have we learned in the state of Wyoming 13
B.K. Schladweiler
Risk-profit equilibrium of private capital in the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP)
model of reclamation for coal mine subsidence 17
F. Li, X.J. Li, X.Y. Min & Z.L. Wu
Analysis of influencing factors of land reclamation incentive policies and regulations
implemented in a mining area—a case study of Wu’an city 21
L.J. Yin & M.C. Fu
Integrating green infrastructure strategies in post-mining areas 25
W. Wende, R.-U. Syrbe, P. Wirth & J. Chang
Discussion on land reclamation and ecological restoration of mining wasteland
based on a public recreation perspective 31
Q.W. Cui
A simulation-based framework for estimating probable open-pit mine closure time and cost 37
M. Paricheh & M. Osanloo
The planning of land reclamation and ecological restoration in the abandoned land left
over by history 47
Q.W. Zhu, J.W. Wang & T. Wang
Study on renewal strategy of ecological restoration in an abandoned mining area based on
the view of loess civilization 51
B. Wu
“The Belt and Road” strategy under the new mode of ecological restoration of mining areas 55
Q.W. Zhu & H.B. Yang

Monitoring, prediction and assessment of mining impact on land environment

Post-mining land-use selection by using a combination of PROMETHEE and SIR techniques 61
S. Amirshenava & M. Osanloo
Land ecological security evaluation in mining cities based on the PSR model: A case study of Wu’an 71
D.M. Fu & M.C. Fu

v
Experimental research on slope protection collaborated with vetiver and micropiles 75
Y.S. Deng, P. Wu & H. Wang
The design of hydraulic barriers: Integration between rational and observational methods 81
M. Cigagna, V. Dentoni & B. Grosso
Study on calculating projection deformation of measured length using an amended particle
swarm optimization 89
X.L. Wu, Y. Gong & F.Q. Tang
Study on the acquisition technology for information on damaged land
in coal-mining areas 93
H.B. Zhang, X.C. Wang, S.D. Wang & W.Z. Hu
Deformation mechanism and support measures of the soft rock roadway in Ronghua coal mine 97
F.Y. Ma
Evaluation of the ecological environment in mining areas based on fuzzy comprehensive
evaluation method 101
Q.W. Zhu, T. Wang, J.W. Wang, Y.J. Sun & W.M. Liu
Evaluation for land damage in mining areas with a high underground water level based on RS 105
Q.J. Chen
Assessing ecological security based on fishnet: A case study of Guiyang City 109
B. Guo & F.Y. Xiao
The application of classified assignment and power-law models for wound space in quantitative
assessments of degraded land 113
L.L. Zhang, P. Zhao, L.H. Gou & Z.H. Luo
Preliminary analysis of the geological hazards prediction in the process of coal mining 117
X.Y. Sun, H.X. Fu, D. Zhang, Z.Q. Liu & X.H. An
The application of mobile GIS in mine land reclamation monitoring 121
R.M. Hu, W.M. Liu, S. Wang, X.Z. Zhang & Y. Li
Object-based change monitoring in mining areas—taking Pingshuo as an example 127
M.L. Zhang, W. Zhou, T. Yuan, Y.H. Xie & Y.F. Li
Fast surveying and large scale mapping in the mining area of the delta wing 131
K.N. Zhang, Z.Q. Yang & J.F. Wu
Study on the limit angle of mining subsidence basin based on the field survey data in the
mining area 135
Z.Z. Lian, R. He, H.B. Zhang & C.Y. Li
Formation mechanisms and characteristics of ground collapse during shallow coal seam mining 139
E.K. Hou, Q.H. Zhang, Y.N. Xu, X.Y. Che, Z.G. Shou & Z.C. Ji
Urban heat island effect of mining cities under mining disturbance: A case study of Wu’an 147
C.C. Mao & M.C. Fu
Application of fuzzy mathematics and GIS technology in the evaluation of mine
environmental restoration 151
Q.T. Ma, G.F. Shang & S.H. Yu
Ecological footprint and carrying capacity of mining cities: A case study of Wu’an 155
Z.R. Wang & M.C. Fu
Landscape pattern change monitoring and predicting using remote sensing method—taking
Jiaozuo as an example 159
P. Liu, K. Li, R.M. Han, Y.M. Yang, X.Q. Cheng & C. Ma
Monitoring of vegetation coverage by multi-temporal remote sensing images: A case study
of Yulin coal mine 163
X.N. Chen, X. Yuan & Z.Y. Yang

vi
Remote sensing inversion of soil organic carbon in Jining city based on decision tree
classification 167
W.J. Sun, X.J. Li & Q.C. Li
Research of the spatial model of land use based on the CA-Markov model 173
C.X. Qiu, D. Han & Q.Q. Mao
Analysis on dynamic change of vegetation coverage based on NDVI: A case study
of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei 179
Y. Mu, C.S. Zhang, X.Q. Wang, J.W. Zhang & X.Y. Zong
Research of the comprehensive improvement effectiveness assessment of coal mine subsided
land under the ecological civilization 185
Y.F. Li, Y.X. Cui & M.H. Zhang
Evaluation index system and ecological restoration of abandoned quarries 191
Q.Q. Zhang & T.Z. Zhang
Experimental investigation of synthetic (top) soils for mine rehabilitation: Column
leaching study 199
S. Biliangadi, M. Yellishetty, V.N.L. Wong, A.K. Dikshit & S. Majumdar
Dynamic monitoring and trend analysis of soil moisture in Shendong mining area
based on MODIS 203
Y. Liu, H.R. Wang, W. Zhang & Z.Z. Meng
Regional difference analysis of ecological carrying capacity based on an emergy in Shaanxi province 207
B.H. Li, D.W. Jin, G.R. Ge & Y.D. Guo
Estimation and analysis of the Vegetation Coverage of “Three-North” based on MODIS data 211
H. Zhang, C.S. Zhang & X.Q. Wang
Research on the relation between soil micromorphology and landuse in loess tableland
around Xi’an 215
Z.X. Zhou & J.L. Pang
Dynamic monitoring of land desertification in coal mining districts in the north
of Shaanxi Province 219
H. Yue
Hyperspectral estimation model of plumbum concentration in soil of mining areas based
on wavelet transform and random forests 223
J. Lv, X.M. Li & J. Kang
Quality monitoring and regional differences of ecological restoration in a mining city: A case
study of Wu’an City, China 227
Y.Y. Ru & M.C. Fu

Surface mined land reclamation and ecological restoration

Application of a mixture of fly ash and topsoil for rehabilitation in open-pit coal mines
in South East Asian countries 233
A. Hamanaka, S. Matsumoto, K. Murakami, H. Shimada & T. Sasaoka
Effect of acid soil properties on soil erosion at a dumping site in an open-pit coal mine, Indonesia 239
H. Shimada, S. Matsumoto, A. Hamanaka, T. Sasaoka & G.J. Kusuma
Trend change of soil nutrients in the green slope of an open pit coal mine dump 245
Q. Zhu, Z.Q. Hu, X.R. Liu, Y. Zhao & Y. Cai
Collaborative efforts towards ecological habitat restoration of a threatened species,
Greater Sage-Grouse, in Wyoming, USA 251
P.D. Stahl & M.F. Curran
Technology and application for ecological rehabilitation on self-maintaining vegetation restoration 255
Y. Zhao, L.J. Chai, J. Chen & X.M. Wang

vii
Preliminary analysis and study on land reclamation and vegetation restoration—a case
study of HuaXin coal mine in TongChuan city 259
X.H. Li & W.H. Ma
Study on root distribution and mechanical properties of pinus tabulaeformis in
dumps of an opencast coal mine, Shanxi, China 263
C.J. Lv, W.G. Chen, D. Chen & X.X. Guo
Study on the ecological security of Wu’an based on DPSIR 269
Z. Xu, J.J. Zhang & Z.Y. Li
Study on the landscape design in southern Shaanxi mining area based on similar
natural terrain reconstruction 273
H.H. Chen
Varied soil liable organic carbon contents among reclamation patterns in Pingshuo
opencast coal mine, China 277
Y. Yuan, Z.Q. Zhao, Y.Z. Wang, P.T. Zhu, Y. Chen & S.Y. Niu
Soil available water in texturally different soils from overburden of an open pit mine in Xilinhot 281
X. Wang, Y.L. Zhao, H.F. Liu & S.S. Tian
Study on the treatment method of stripping soil in an opencast mining area based on trade
background 285
Y.Y. Li, W. Zhou & J.H. Tong
Peatland restoration after open pit mining 289
A. Mikhailov, A. Kim & O. Prodous
Effect of different vegetation restoration years on soil fertility in the Antaibao open pit 295
X. Wang, J.C. Li, J.Y. Yue, C.Y. Guo, N. Lu, Y.H. Wang & S.Q. Yang
The open-pit mining dust characteristics in the eastern Junggar coal field and its impact on
the surrounding plants 299
J.J. Yang, Y.E. Cao, J. Wang, G. Lu, G. Wang , L.P. Zhao & X.Y. Zhang

Subsidence land reclamation and ecological restoration

Reclamation of prime agricultural farmlands: A retrospective 40 years after reclamation 307
R.G. Darmody & K. McSweeney
Concurrent mining and reclamation for underground coal mining subsidence impacts in China 315
Y.P. Chugh
Research on mining technology of extra-thick coal seam under rich water aquifers in a bitter
cold steppe region 333
J. Fang, D.Z. Gu, Q.S. Li & Z.G. Cao
Technique of long-distance reclaiming of subsidence land with Yellow River sediments 337
L.H. Duo, Z.Q. Hu, Y.X. Du, K. Yang & T. Xu
Design of an ecological damage restoration scheme in a mining subsidence area—taking the
Xuzhou Dawu mining area as an example 345
X.M. Yao & X. Cui
Physical and chemical properties of soil at different mining subsidence areas in windy
and sandy regions 349
Y. Rong, Z.Q. Hu, Y.J. Wu & Y.M. Yuan
Using loess and wind-blown sand in cementitious material for backfill mining to control land
subsidence 357
X.D. Wang, G.G. Xu, S.B. Zhu, H. Wang, K.K. Yuan, B.Q. Wu & F. Wang
Effect of the exploitation of mineral resources on the ecological environment in Jiaozuo 361
L.J. Li & S.Y. Li

viii
Maximizing ecological services value of abandoned mine land using integrated simulation models 365
L.P. Zhang, Y.F. Huang, M. Cao & H.Y. Zhang
Characteristics of runoff coefficient of abandoned mine land using the storm water
management model 369
X.D. Li, H. Yang, J. Wang, L.J. Guo & Z. Wang
Distribution and formation characteristics of karst collapse in major cities of China 373
L. Yang, Q. Wu, C.L. Liu, H.B. Hou & S.Q. Liu
Reclaimed soil PSD and thermal property under machinery compaction 377
X.Y. Min, X.J. Li & Q.C. Li
Bacterial community structure in reclaimed soil filled with coal wastes in different
reclamation years 381
H.P. Hou, C. Wang, J.R. Li, Z.Y. Ding, S.L. Zhang, L. Huang, J. Dong, J. Ma & Y.J. Yang
Research on caving deep ore mining without surface subsidence 387
Y. Wang & W.B. Sun
Aggregate stability and organic carbon distribution in reconstruction soil filled with gangue
from coal mining areas 391
Z.Y. Hu, X.Y. Chen, M. Chen, Y.Z. Zhou & F. Wang
Protection and tourism development of ancient villages in resource-exhausted
mining areas—a case study of Mentougou district 397
C. Yang & M.C. Fu

Solid wastes management, waste dump and tailings pond restoration

Paste technology integrated solutions for effective management of sulfidic mine tailings 403
E. Yilmaz
An investigation of surface paste disposal for lead-zinc underground mine tailings 415
A. Bascetin, S. Tuylu & D. Adiguzel
Ecological restoration of coal mine degraded lands using a grass-legume mixture—a case
study from India 419
S.K. Maiti & J. Ahirwal
Study on plant selection of a mine park based on ecological restoration theory 433
J.Y. Yang & Z.Y. Qi
Phytoaccumulation of trace elements by Grevillea pteridifolia Knight growing on iron ore
tailings: An implication of phytoremediation 437
N. Chaturvedi
Characteristics of capillary water rise in coal-fired cinders by lab test 443
X.Y. Zhou, C.L. Jiang & P.F. Liu
Ecology analysis of invasive plants after 12 years of natural restoration in karst desertification area 447
Z.Q. Yang
Old mine dumps recovery: An environmental and techno-economical challenge 453
V. Dentoni, B. Grosso, P.P. Manca & G. Massacci
Quantitative study on the soil reconstruction of a root system in the coal resource-concentrated
distribution of Shenfu mineral regions 461
Q. Li, G.B. Liu, F.R. Kang, W.L. Wang, Y.J. Bo & G.P. Zhao
Alders (Alnus sp.) as a potenial biological stabilizer on fly ash disposal sites 465
M. Pietrzykowski, B. Woś, M. Pająk, T. Wanic, W. Krzaklewski & M. Chodak
Management of coal processing wastes: Studies on an alternate technology for control
of sulfate and chloride discharge 473
P.T. Behum, Y.P. Chugh & L. Lefticariu

ix
Mine water management as an important part of mining and transition to post-mining
in hard coal mining areas in Quang Ninh, Vietnam 485
K. Broemme, H. Stolpe, C. Jolk, Q.V. Trinh, F. Bilek & A. Ulbricht
Utilization of submarinetailings disposal as alternative tailings management system 489
E. Yilmaz

Contaminated land remediation

Treatment of metals and metalloids in neutral mine effluents using modified materials 499
I.L. Calugaru, C.M. Neculita, T. Genty & G.J. Zagury
Carbon and mineral feed additive produced from rice husk 511
S.V. Yefremova, Yu.I. Sukharnikov, N.B. Sarsembayeva, A.A. Kablanbekov,
N.I. Bogdanovich , D.B. Murtazayeva & A.A. Zharmenov
Enrichment and analysis of soil heavy metals in different turfs on the golf course 517
S.X. Tang, P.H. Qiu, D. Wu, Z.Z. Zhao, H.P. Wu & Y. Chen
Experimental study of the production of typical pollutants from underground coal fires 521
Y. Pu, Q. Zeng, Z.M. Cao, S.K. Jin & L.H. Zhao
Isolation of halotolerant bacteria for degrading petroleum hydrocarbons and the optimum
conditions for their activity 529
X.Q. Zhou & L. Yang
Case study of the evaluation of the soil pollution situation in urban industrial wasteland 533
P. Shi, G.X. Zhang, Y.H. Fu & S. Guo
Effects of industrial by-products on the food chain 539
B. Tóth, Cs. Bojtor, G. Hankovszky, D. Kaczur, Á. Illés & B. Kovács
A review of land reclamation technologies of saline-alkali soil in China 543
L. Zhang, J.Y. Zhang, L.H. Gao, L.F. Lv, Y.S. Liang & Y. Zhao
Does biochar promote reclaimed soil qualities? 547
Z. Cai, T. Zheng, M. Ahsan, H. Wang & Z.F. Bian
Characteristics and adsorption properties of cotton-stalk derived biochars 555
L. Yang, X.Q. Zhou, H. Deng & D.F. Ma
Spatial distribution and risk assessment of metals in overlapped areas of farmland and
coal resources soils, Xuzhou, China 559
X.F. Sun, X. Xiao, Y.Y. Hu, J. Chang & H. Wang
The influence analysis of the heavy metals in the fly ash from the Da Tun power plant to
the soil and plant around the fly ash yard 565
K. Zhu
Research on the correlation between land use/land cover changes and Lyme disease in Maryland 567
Y.L. Gong, Y.J. Wu & Y.X. Du
Effects of land use change on soil organic carbon in a karst region 571
J.H. Tong, Y.C. Hu & Y.Y. Li
Adsorption performance investigation of heavy metals in acid mine drainage by the
microbial method 575
Y.J. Zhu
Comparative study of ecological restoration technology of a mining brownfield 579
Y.X. Feng

Author index 583

x
 Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas – Hu (Ed.)
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-1-138-05103-4

Preface

The combination of rapid urbanization and industrialization has boosts China’s economy greatly, how-
ever, extensively human activities, including mining brings series negative effects on land and environ-
ment. Land reclamation is an effectively to mitigate and reverse those negative impacts. Most of China’s
northern and western regions were ecological fragile areas, where the climate is semi-arid and arid, and
were eager to be influenced by human activities. This book is the proceeding of the 2nd International
Symposium on Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration (LRER 2017) which is a series interna-
tional conference on land reclamation every three years organized by China Coal Society. The first one
was Beijing International Symposium on Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration (LRER 2014),
which has promoted the communication of land reclamation and ecological restoration technology and
experience internationally, advanced and renovated of reclamation and ecological restoration technology
and practice, accelerating international collaboration in this field. And LRER 2017 is in order to promote
the land reclamation and ecological restoration in mining areas to meet the requirements of “The Belt
and Road Initiative”.
The papers were presented at the symposium and addressed a range of land reclamation and restora-
tion issues reflect the current work from around the world, covering land reclamation in ecological fragile
areas. A total of 18 topics included in following themes: 1) Mining and reclamation policies, regulations
and standard; 2) Monitoring, prediction and assessment of mining impact on land environment; 3) Sur-
face mined land reclamation and ecological restoration; 4) Subsidence land reclamation and ecological
restoration; 5) Solid wastes management, waste dump and tailings pond restoration; and 6) Contami-
nated land remediation. We received about 120 papers, some of them are selected to be published on
International Journal of Coal Science & Technology, which is a special issue for the symposium. The
contents of this proceeding will be interest to engineers, scientists, consultants, government officials and
students in this area.
LRER 2017 is supported by many organizations, China Coal Society has contributed greatly to the
conference as the host. All the organizers have taken great efforts, including China University of Mining
and Technology (Beijing), Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Chinese Ecological Restoration
Network. The support from the co-organizers is highly appreciated. To be noted are: International Affili-
ation of Land Reclamationists, American Society of Mining and Reclamation, International Journal
of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, International Journal of Coal Science & Technology, China
Industry Alliance of Mine Environment Restoration, National Natural Science Foundation of China.
In this book, we hope to provide some information about the latest progress of land reclamation tech-
nologies, policies, and management, etc.

Professor Zhenqi Hu
Chair of the Organizing Committee,
International Academic Committee
China University of Mining and
Technology (Beijing)

xi
 Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas – Hu (Ed.)
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-1-138-05103-4

Organizers

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CONFERENCE

CHAIR

Wang Xianzheng, President of China Coal Industry Association

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Peng Suping, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor of China University

of Mining and Technology (Beijing)
Zhang Tiegang, Chief Engineer of Pingdingshan Coal Group Co., Ltd.
Yuan Liang, Deputy General Manager of Huainan Mining Group Co., Ltd.
Gu Dazhao, General Manager of Science and Technology Development Department, Shenhua Group
Wu Qiang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor of China University
of Mining and Technology (Beijing)
Tian Hui, Vice Chairman of China National Coal Association
Liu Feng, Vice Chairman of China National Coal Association
Yang Renshu, President of China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing)
Jiang Yaodong, Vice President of China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing)
Raj Singhal, Mining and Mineral Industry Consultant, Canada
W. Lee Daniels, International Affiliation of Land Reclamationists, USA

ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE

CHAIR: Liu Feng, Yang Gengshe, Zhenqi Hu

SECRETARY GENERAL: Yao Wanqiang, Wang Lei
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL: Tang Fuquan, Xiao Wu
MEMBERS:
Bao Yuying, Inner Mongolia University
Chen Qiuji, Xi’an University of Science and Technology
Fan Tianli, Orient Landscape Industry Group CO., Ltd, Beijing
He Xiao, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University
Lei Mei, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, China
Li Bo, Chinese Ecological Restoration Network (www.ER-CHINA.com)
Li Xinju, Shandong Agricultural University
Liu Jingjing, Beijing Construction Environment Remediation CO., Ltd.
Xu Liangji, Anhui University of Science & Technology
Yang Jianjun, Xinjiang University
Zhang Hebing, Henan Polytechnic University
Zhang Yu, Green Mining United Institute

xiii
INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC COMMITTEE

HONORARY CHAIR

Peng Suping, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), China

CHAIR

Zhenqi Hu, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), China

CO-CHAIR

Raj Singhal, International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, Canada

W. Lee Daniels, International Affiliation of Land Reclamationists, USA
Robert G. Darmody, American Institute of mining and reclamation, USA

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

A. Hoppenstedt, Technical University of Berlin, Germany

A.K. Waitkus, Environmental Consulting, USA
A. Başçetin, Istanbul University, Turkey
Bai Zhongke, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), China
Bi Yinli, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), China
Bian Zhengfu, China University of Mining and Technology, China
C. Drebenstedt, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology, Germany
Chang Jiang, China University of Mining and Technology, China
Chen Gang, University of Alaska at Fairbanks, USA
Chen Tongbin, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, China
C. Tsadilas, National Agricultural Research Foundation, Greece
C.M. Neculita, Research Institute on Mines and Environment (RIME), University of Québec in Abitibi-
Témiscamingue, Canada
D. Mulligan, The University of Queensland, Australia
E. Topal, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan
E. Yilmaz, Department of Mining Engineering, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
Feng Zhongke, Beijing Forestry University, China
Gao Jixi, Nanjing Institute of Environment Science, China
Huang Jinlou, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
J. Skousen, West Virginia University, USA
K. Tursyn, Kazakh National Research Technical University, Kazakhstan
Li Shuzhi, China Coal Technology & Engineering Group, Tangshan Research Institute, China
Luo Ming, China Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center, Ministry of Land and Resources, China
M.A. Naeth, University of Alberta, Canada
M. Osanloo, Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran
N. Chaturvedi, The Energy and Resources Institute, India
P.D. Stahl, University of Wyoming, USA
P.J. Beckett, Laurentian University, Canada
P. Sklenicka, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
P.P. Manca, DICAAR - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture—University
of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, Cagliari, Italy
S.K. Maiti, Indian Institute of Technology, India
S. Mišák, Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic
S.L. Smith, British Land Reclamation Society, UK
V. Litvinenko, State University of Mineral Resources, Russia
Wang Yunjia, China University of Mining and Technology, China
Wang Shuangming, Shaanxi Geological Survey, China

xiv
W. Wende, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development, Dresden, Germany
Xu Youning, Xi’an Geological Survey Center of China Geological Survey, China
Y.P. Chugh, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, USA
Zhao Tingning, Beijing Forestry University, China
Zhao Yanling, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), China
Zhou Lianbi, Department of Environmental Engineering, Beijing General Research Institute of Mining &
Metallurgy, China

xv
 Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas – Hu (Ed.)
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-1-138-05103-4

Members of editorial committee

CHIEF EDITOR

Zhenqi Hu

EDITORIAL BOARD

Bai Zhongke
Bi Yinli
Bian Zhengfu
Chang Jiang
Huang Jinlou
Li Shuzhi
Xu Chong
Xiao Wu
Yao Wanqiang
Zhang Shaoliang
Zhao Yanling

xvii
Mining and reclamation policies, regulations and standard
 Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas – Hu (Ed.)
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-1-138-05103-4

Surface coal mine permit application for successful reclamation,

semi-arid shortgrass prairie (Wyoming, USA)

A. Krzyszowska Waitkus
Environmental Consulting, Laramie, Wyoming, USA

ABSTRACT: Approximately 40% of U.S. coal originates in an ecologically sensitive area of semi-arid
shortgrass prairie in Wyoming. Before a surface coal mine can begin operation in the U.S., it must secure
a mining permit and comply with regulations and performance standards under the U.S. Surface Min-
ing Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), other federal environmental acts, and state programs. The
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ)/Land Quality Division (LQD) administers
Wyoming’s coal regulatory program. Examples of Wyoming’s regulations and environmental protection
performance are presented. The permit application and bonding process for the largest surface coal mine
permit in the U.S., North Antelope Rochelle Mine (NARM) located in short grassland prairie in the
northeast Wyoming, is discussed. The permit application process begins with the collection of baseline
environmental data that characterizes premining conditions of the permit area. The permit application
includes adjudication information, baseline information, mine and operation plans, and reclamation plans.
Fulfillment of permit commitments and requirements of rules and regulations are inspected monthly by
the LQD’s representative in the field. Before a mine permit is issued, the mine operator must submit a
reclamation bond to secure the performance of reclamation obligations that is later revised annually. In
Wyoming, four reclamation bond release phases (Area Bond, Phase 1, 2, and 3) indicate the comple-
tion of various stages of the reclamation process. NARM’s specific bond release verification criteria,
performance standards, and field verifications of bond release phases are discussed. The Bond Release
Geodatabase (a GIS/GPS approach) was developed for this mine to monitor progress in meeting criteria
and performance standards for incremental bond release. The Bond Release Geodatabase significantly
reduces the time needed to track bond release progress, reach agreement between operator and regulator,
and improve the state inspector’s ability to assess reclamation adequacy and progress.

1 INTRODUCTION includes surveys and assessments of: cultural and

The State of Wyoming produces approximately
40% of all mined coal in the U.S. (Carroll, 2011).
The Land Quality Division (LQD) of the Wyoming
Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) is
in charge of Wyoming’s coal regulatory program
(State of Wyoming, 2016). The state’s regulations
and environmental protection performance stand-
ards are important in achieving successful recla-
mation results. According to WDEQ/LQD Coal
Rules and Regulations (Wyoming State Rules &
Regulations, 2017), the goal of surface coal mine
reclamation is to restore the land to its pre-distur-
bance ecological function. To accomplish this goal,
a thorough baseline inventory of environmental
conditions must be performed prior to mining
(Norton et al., 2010). It is especially important in
the semi-arid environment of Wyoming, where a
native vegetation of the shortgrass prairie is sensi-
tive to any disturbance due to the lack of the rain-
fall (Knight et al., 2014). The baseline inventory
historical resources; soils; vegetation; wildlife, sur-
face and groundwater hydrology; climatology; wet-
lands, and geological data (soil and rock structure,
coal seam thickness). The company then develops
mining and reclamation plans incorporating all
of the environmental components of the baseline
inventory.
Before a company can begin mining in the U.S.,
it must secure a mining permit and comply with
regulations and performance standards of the
USA Federal Surface Mining Control and Recla-
mation Act (SMCRA) of 1977 (Public Law 95–87,
referred to as SMCRA), state programs and other
federal environmental acts (U.S. Government Pub-
lishing Office, 2016). Verification of state rules and
regulations, permit commitments, and perform-
ance standards are conducted through field inspec-
tions, annual reports, and permit revisions.
Few references discuss surface coal mine permit
content and its role in achieving reclamation goals
(U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment,

3
1986). Specific studies conducted in the western
U.S. states discuss the effects of mining and rec-
lamation approaches on geomorphic processes
(Toy & Black, 2000), soil properties, and manage-
ment (Pinchak et al., 1985; Schroeder & Vinning,
1993; Buchanan et al., 2005; Reynolds & Reddy,
2012), and re-vegetation strategies and methods
(Williams et al., 2002; Schuman et al., 2005; Strom
et al., 2010).
Before a mine permit is issued, the mine operator
must submit a reclamation bond to secure the per-
formance of reclamation obligations (Bonogofsky
et al., 2015). The operator might reduce a reclama-
tion bond by reclaiming disturbed areas simulta-
neously with mining coal. Reclamation progress
in Wyoming occurs in four phases of bond release
together with the verification of bond release cri-
teria and performance standards (Krzyszowska
Waitkus & Blake, 2011).
This paper discusses the permit content infor-
mation and the bond release processes of the larg-
est surface coal mine permit in the U.S., the North
Antelope Rochelle Mine (NARM), located in the
semi-arid (less than 300 mm rain/year) shortgrass
prairie of northeast Wyoming. Information pre-
sented in this article were obtained from the Permit
569-T8 Peabody Powder River Mining LLC North
Antelope Rochelle Mine stored in the Cheyenne
office of the WDEQ/LQD (Permit 569-T8, 2014).
NARM is an active open pit mine that produced
over 111 million tons of coal in 2015. The permit
area covered 18590 ha in 2015. Since the initial
operation began in 1982, approximately 7680 ha
have been disturbed. Coal seam thickness averages
approximately 20 m with an average overburden
thickness approaching 90 m. The mine contains
three major pits: East Pit (6 km long), North Pit
(8 km long), and West Pit (6 km long). The mine
uses three operating draglines and 11 shovels sup-
ported by numerous trucks and bulldozers.
2 RULES AND REGULATIONS
Since 1969 the state of Wyoming has created
numerous environmental acts to help regulate the
mining industry. They were revised after the pri-
mary federal law SMCRA was enacted in 1977,
creating a basis for environmental laws, rules and
regulations in various states (Squillace, 1990).
SMCRA established minimum federal standards
for the regulation of mining, introduced an idea
of bonding, and provided penalties for violations
of the laws, regulations, or permit conditions. A
federal agency, the Office of Surface Mining, Rec-
lamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), was created
to oversee SMCRA and revise it on an ongoing
basis. The Code of Federal Regulations lists the
4
rules and maintains an up-to-date electronic ver-
sion (US Government Publishing Office, 2016).
In addition to SMCRA, mining operations must
abide by regulations put forth by a number of other
federal and state environmental agencies. In Wyo-
ming these include: U.S. Office of Surface Mining,
Reclamation and Enforcement; U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers; U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Wyoming
Game and Fish Department; and WDEQ.
SMCRA’s major components were incorporated
into the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act and
Industrial Development Information and Siting
Act (State of Wyoming, 2016) giving WDEQ/
LQD the authority to establish standards for rec-
lamation. These standards allowed for the creation
of rules and regulations for the coal industry in
Wyoming (Wyoming State Rules & Regulations,
2017), which became an official part of Wyo-
ming’s coal regulatory program after approval by
the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Rules quoted in
this article are from the Wyoming Environmental
Quality Act and Industrial Development Informa-
tion and Siting Act (State of Wyoming, 2016) and
from WDEQ/LQD Coal Rules and Regulations
(Wyoming State Rules & Regulations, 2017) that
are constantly being updated to reflect changes in
SMCRA. All these rules, regulations, and guide-
lines can be found on the website of the WDEQ/
LQD.
3 CONTENT OF THE PERMIT
Information presented in the permit follows fed-
eral and state rules and regulations and contains
specific permit commitments. Surface coal mining
permits are issued for a term not to exceed five
years, after which the operator must request and
submit a revised permit for a term renewal. A sur-
face coal mining permit must be terminated if the
permittee has not commenced surface coal min-
ing operations covered by the permit within three
years of permit issuance.
The coal mine permit application consists of
four major portions: adjudication section, sup-
porting data (baseline information), mine plan,
and reclamation plan (Table 1). More than 60% of
the information concerns premining baseline data.
The application, once approved, constitutes the
enforcement contractual document (permit) with
the WDEQ/LQD that is used during compliance
inspections of mining operations. Any discrepancy
from the permit commitment found during an
inspection or through a revision of an annual report
could result in a violation with associated penalties.
The permit must contain a time schedule to
address the following: mining progression (topsoil
Table 1. Contents of the permit 569-T8, 2014.
Number
Category of volumes
Adjudication information 2
Baseline information including: land use, 18
cultural resources, (history,
archeological investigation,
paleontology), climatology, geology,
hydrology, soils, vegetation, wildlife,
wetlands, alluvial valley floors
Mine plan including mining method, 7 the baseline information of the permit: land use,
schedule and mining hydrology
Reclamation plan including reclamation 2
schedule*
Note: *Describe processes of overburden and topsoil
handling and provide a reclamation schedule in the form
of numerous maps.
removal, overburden removal, coal removal), back-
filling, grading, contouring, and seeding. The time
schedule uses yearly blocks for five years followed
by blocks of five year periods until the end of min-
ing. Maps and cross-sections included in the per-
mit must follow specific, consistent requirements
related to scale, contours, legend, etc. All engineer-
ing maps, plans, and designs or reports including
cross sections must be certified by a professional
engineer registered under the laws of the State of
Wyoming (State of Wyoming, 2016). All mining
and reclamation maps are presented in the same
scale of 1:1500.
3.1 Adjudication information
Adjudication files include forms showing the sur-
face land to be affected by the mine, the license to
mine coal, a certificate of public liability insurance,
a list of surface and coal owners, documentation
of surface owner consent and right of entry, the
permit area boundary, and lands to be affected
over the life of the mine. New permit applications
must contain the reclamation performance bond
estimate, covering all disturbances and construc-
tion anticipated during the first 12 months of the
permitted operation (State of Wyoming, 2016).
This bond amount is updated annually by the
operator through annual reports and approved
by the WDEQ/LQD according to WDEQ/LQD
Guideline No. 12 (Wyoming Department of Envi-
ronmental Quality, 2017).
A certificate of public liability insurance must
be submitted with the permit according to require-
ments of the State of Wyoming (2016). An appen-
dix of lands within and adjacent (within 0.8 km)
to the permit area contains a list of surface owners
and coal rights, and records of water rights own-
ers. Surface ownership includes private, federal
5
(e.g., U.S. Department of Agriculture), and state
of Wyoming lands.
3.2 Baseline information
Pre-disturbance inventory is a critical part of rec-
lamation planning and establishes a framework
and schedule for successful restoration of severely
disturbed land, monitoring, and evaluation (Nor-
ton et al., 2010). According to rules and regula-
tions the following information is required in
brief history of the area including description of
historic places, archeological and paleontological
resources, climatology, topography, geology and
overburden assessment, hydrology (groundwater,
surface water, water rights), soil assessment, veg-
etation inventory, and wildlife use (State of Wyo-
ming, 2016; Wyoming State Rules & Regulations,
2017).
The premining land use summary is delineated
on a map, statistically calculated, and presented
in a table. For example, the categories of land use
within the permit area include: surface coal min-
ing, grazing, oil and gas development, wildlife
habitat, and recreational uses. The permit contains
the hectares of each land use category including a
vegetation type.
Historical overview, cultural resource sites, and
paleontological inventories are conducted on all
permit areas according to requirements included
in the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act. The
individual inventory, evaluation, and mitigation
reports are compiled in proprietary volumes to
protect the confidentiality of cultural resources
under the Archeological Resources Protection
Act of 1979 (State of Wyoming, 2016). The char-
acteristics of climatology presented in the permit
include temperature, growing season, precipitation,
humidity and evapotranspiration, and winds. Due
to the potential for the air pollution from dust, the
operator must present air quality monitoring plans
including the locations of air quality monitoring
stations.
The topography, geology, and overburden assess-
ments describe the premining topography, geology,
stratigraphy, quality and quantity of premining
overburden (State of Wyoming, 2016). Geologic
cross sections provide information on the lithol-
ogy across the permit area including overburden,
interburden, and coal thickness. Wyoming mines
must follow the requirements of an Approximate
Original Contour (AOC) type topography where
surface configuration achieved by backfilling and
grading of mined areas must closely resemble the
general surface configuration of the land prior to
mining and complement the drainage patterns of
the surrounding terrain (Wyoming State Rules &
Regulations, 2017). The State of Wyoming and
other states (Montana, Colorado, New Mexico,
and North Dakota) require the establishment of
AOC as per federal regulations unless specifically
exempted due to excess or lack of overburden
material.
During the mining and reclamation process two
sampling programs are employed at NARM to
define unsuitable overburden material ahead-of-
mining and backfill material. In order to define
unsuitable overburden material ahead-of-mining,
overburden sampling procedures are established
for material moved by a truck/shovel operation
only. In NARM, at least one hole per 64 ha within
the permit area is sampled for chemical analysis.
Sample cuttings are collected on intervals at a
maximum of 3 meters in specific lifts of 16.5 m to
a depth of 148 m. Samples are analyzed for quality
by comparing with parameters and concentrations
described in WDEQ/LQD Guideline 1 (Wyoming
Department of Environmental Quality, 2017). The
location of unsuitable material collected from the
baseline study is delineated on a map titled “Over-
burden Suitability” included in the permit and
also is shown on the Geographic Position System
(GPS) unit located on a shovel removing overbur-
den. The map on the GPS of the shovel delineates
places where these unsuitable materials could be
stored (at least under 1.2 m of suitable material)
and cannot be stored (such as in close proximity to
a drainage channel or its flood plain).
Postmining backfill quality procedures include
a description of the sampling methods, suitability
classification, and selective placement. Composite
samples of backfill material are collected at depths
of 0–0.6 m and 0.6–1.2 m and analyzed for quality
by comparing with parameters and concentrations
described in WDEQ/LQD Guideline No. 1. Each
sample site is located on 150 m centers (2 ha). If
unsuitable material is found in the top 1.2 m of
regraded spoil material, a mitigation plan is imple-
mented to verify the quality of the initial backfill
sample or to more accurately define the area of
unsuitability within the initial sample area. The
unsuitable backfill material is capped or removed
and relocated deeper under at least 1.2 m of suit-
able material (excluding areas under floodplain
channel bottom of reclaim drainages). Chemical
properties of backfill material with a map showing
the collection sites are submitted with the annual
reports. Results are analyzed by the operator and
reviewed by the LQD specialist. Best management
practices concerning successful revegetation and
chemical properties of surface material show a
direct connection between the chemical results of
the overburden baseline study and the practical
implementation of burying unsuitable overburden
and backfill material.
6
Premining hydrology and hydraulics for both
surface and ground waters within the permit area
and 0.8 km adjacent area around the permit are
discussed in the baseline study (State of Wyoming,
2016; Wyoming State Rules & Regulations, 2017).
Surface water includes rivers, creeks, lakes, and
reservoirs within and adjacent to the permit area.
Descriptions of premining stream characteristics
(drainage density, channel sinuosity, stream chan-
nel morphology) are discussed, along with drain-
age basins and surface water runoff quantity and
quality. At NARM, baseline water quality data for
major streams are collected regularly and analyzed
for specific parameters (e.g. ammonia, nitrogen,
nitrate, bicarbonate, boron, carbonate, fluoride,
sulfate, total dissolved solids, and dissolved arsenic,
calcium, chloride, chromium, iron, molybdenum,
potassium, sodium, and zinc). Information is pre-
sented on aquifers that may be affected, their areal
extent and hydraulic properties, groundwater qual-
ity, and groundwater recharge and discharge areas.
In 2016, NARM 93 groundwater monitoring sites
and seven surface water stations were sampled reg-
ularly according to the permit commitments.
Soil at the mine is ranked as suitable or unsuit-
able for salvage according to chemical or physi-
cal criteria that affect revegetation success. These
criteria are established by the state regulatory
authority and reflect characteristics of climate and
vegetation (U.S. Congress, Office of Technology
Assessment, 1986). All suitable soils must be sal-
vaged and replaced on the reclaimed area. Most
prairie soils in Wyoming are thin with low organic
carbon content. It was estimated that minimum
concentration of 0.52% organic content or 0.89%
organic matter is necessary to sustain an adequate
level of nutrient cycling in Wyoming reclaimed
soils (Ingram et al., 2005).
WDEQ/LQD Guideline No. 1 A (Wyoming
Department of Environmental Quality, 2017)
includes criteria for suitability for soils or soil sub-
stitutes. Soil assessment requirements include a site
specific soil inventory and suitability maps with
tabulations of soil salvage depths for affected lands
(State of Wyoming, 2016). At least one sample for
each soil series in the affected area is collected and
analyzed for specific elements (e.g. pH, conductiv-
ity, particle size, texture, sodium absorption ratio,
selenium, boron, and organic matter). Results are
compared with the criteria to determine soil suit-
ability. The results of quantitative soil analyses
are used to create a soil stripping depth map for
affected lands. A table in NARM’s permit lists the
following for each soil mapping unit: acreage of
areas where soil removal is planned, average depth
of soil to be removed, and volumes of soil to be
salvaged. NARM’s permit includes a map show-
ing various soil unit descriptions with soil salvage
depths. This information assists in determining soil
depth application during the reclamation process.
Vegetation inventory requirements include deline-
ation, mapping and tabulation of major vegetation
communities, cover sampling of vegetation commu-
nities, species lists, shrub density determinations, and
tree counts. The vegetation inventory also includes
the selection of a reference area located outside of
a disturbed area. Data from a reference area is used
to compare data from the reclaimed and revegetated
areas. NARM’s permit includes a map titled “Native
Vegetation Types” delineating eight major vegetation
communities.
The baseline study includes a description of poten-
tial and actual faunal distribution within the permit
and areas adjacent to the permit with a list of indig-
enous vertebrate wildlife species. Wildlife studies are
done in accordance with state and federal wildlife
agency requirements. NARM’s permit includes a
map titled “Wildlife Features”, showing prairie dog
colonies, intact raptor nests, former raptor nests, nest-
ing platforms, and active and inactive sage grouse leks.
3.3 Mine plan
According to State of Wyoming requirements,
the mine plan must include a description of type
and method of mining, life of the mine in years,
affected acres, estimated annual production, mine
facilities, blasting plan, equipment list, and mining
hydrology. The permit application must contain a
map showing the estimated order and progression
of mining and reclamation on all proposed affected
lands (Wyoming State Rules & Regulations, 2017).
Mine sequence maps for soil, coal removal, and
rough backfilling include identification of the area
to be mined during the first five years in one-year
blocks during the specific term and in five-year
blocks for the remaining life of the mine. Soil sal-
vage and handling techniques as well as erosion
control plans are presented in the mine plan sec-
tion. Tables of soil volumes that will be salvaged,
material excavated and backfilled, and hectares of
areas stripped of soil and graded with soil replaced
and seeded are presented for each of the first five
years, and in five-year blocks thereafter, until the
end of mining. This information is included in
NARM’s permit table titled “Material Handling
Summary.” The information is verified during
annual report reviews and inspections to ensure
the operator is following permit commitments and
reclamation is occurring according to the schedule.
The operator demonstrates the ability to achieve
AOC through the calculation of bulking factors
(swell factors) and estimation of overburden mate-
rial volume available for backfilling.
The mine plan must ensure the protection of the
quantity and quality of, and rights to, surface water
7
and groundwater both within and adjacent to the
permit area (Wyoming State Rules & Regulations,
2017). Mining hydrology sections include a plan
and timetable for control and treatment of surface
and groundwater, discussion, and determination
of probable hydrologic consequences within and
outside the permit area for the duration of mining.
The plan must estimate groundwater drawdown
and provide a monitoring plan to include the col-
lection, recording, and reporting of data on water
levels and quality.
A hydrologic control plan for surface water
includes a hydrologic control map, structure
designs, and a maintenance plan. Six of the 29
volumes of NARM’s permit application contain
engineering plans of sedimentation reservoirs,
highwall sumps, and permanent impoundments.
Design requirements for each constructed feature
of the surface water control plan follow WDEQ/
LQD Guideline No. 8 (Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality, 2017) and Coal Rules and
Regulations (Wyoming State Rules & Regulations,
2017).
3.4 Reclamation plan
The reclamation plan describes procedures and
methods used to minimize adverse impacts dur-
ing mining and to restore disturbed land to prem-
ining land use (Norton et al., 2009). By definition,
reclamation “shall restore the land to a condition
equal to or greater than the highest previous use.”
The land, after reclamation, must be suitable for
the previous use or must have a use which is of
greater economic or social value than previous
uses (Wyoming State Rules & Regulations, 2017).
At NARM, reclamation must restore the land to
livestock grazing and wildlife use functions. The
reclamation plan coordinates with the mining plan
and contains a time schedule to complete reclama-
tion as quickly as possible.
NARM’s reclamation plan includes information
on soil removal, storage, protection, and replace-
ment, along with a plan for backfilling, grading,
and contouring of affected lands. Also included
are methods of monitoring hydrologic restoration
of disturbed land, revegetation plans with a means
of measuring of success, and information on post-
mining land use.
Reclamation begins with the salvage and protec-
tion of soil from the disturbed land. Salvaged soil
is either stockpiled and protected from erosion and
degradation or placed directly on regraded areas
(direct haul). According to NARM’s experience,
direct haul produced the best revegetation results.
Direct haul can result in higher mycorrhizae lev-
els, better physical characteristics, and a slightly
greater potential for seed bank benefit as compared
to stockpiled soil (Schuman, 2002; Anderson
et al., 2008). However, caution should be taken if
soil contains infestations of weeds or other unde-
sirable species. The soil replacement management
plan in NARM’s permit discusses erosion control
and water conservation practices, soil replacement
depth range, and soil characteristics for the res-
toration of critical and important habitat such as
wetlands, floodplains etc.
Soil is usually applied at a uniform depth on
regraded areas in Wyoming surface coal mines.
According to the Wyoming State Rules & Regula-
tions (2017), variable soil depths are also allowable:
“Soil thickness may also be varied to the extent such
variations help meet the specific revegetation goals
identified in the permit.” Some studies performed
in the western U.S. showed that revegetation results
can be affected by varying soil depths (Buchanan
et al., 2005; Bowen et al., 2005; Williams et al.,
2002). To enhance the growth of hard-to-establish
shrubs such as big sagebrush (Artemisia triden-
tata), NARM has developed two soil replacement
depth ranges: typical (15 to 40 cm) and deep (40
to 120 cm).
Soil is applied on backfilled and graded areas
as soon as possible following mining, according to
performance standards (Chapter 4, Section 2(b)) of
the Wyoming State Rules & Regulations (2017):
− “Rough backfilling and grading shall follow
coal removal as contemporaneously as possible
based upon the mining conditions. The operator
shall include within the application for a permit
to mine a proposed schedule for backfilling and
grading with supporting analysis.”
− “Backfilled materials shall be replaced in a man-
ner which minimizes water pollution on and off
the site and supports the approved postmining
land use. Preparation of final graded surfaces
shall be conducted in a manner that minimizes
erosion and provides a surface for replacement
of soil that will minimize slippage.”
− “All affected lands shall be returned to their
approximate original contour…”
The recontoured surface design has critical
effects on postmining vegetation, land stability,
and postmining land use (U.S. Congress, Office
of Technology Assessment, 1986). In Wyoming’s
semi-arid environment, a complex (convex on top,
concave at bottom) slope of less than 25% has
been found to be least prone to erosion. To avoid
long uniform slopes, constructed slope lengths do
not exceed premining lengths and are shorter than
150 m long. No highwalls may be left unless they
are approved by the Administrator of the WDEQ/
LQD. During reclamation, pre- and postmining
topographies are compared to determine if recla-
mation achieved requirements of AOC topography
8
(Steward et al., 2006). In NARM’s permit, pre-
and postmining slope frequency and distribution
are illustrated graphically (showing e.g., average
slope, median slope, and slope interval). Slope
distribution analysis is performed using state-of-
the-art terrain modeling and analysis software.
Analysis of histograms and cumulative frequency
curves indicate a strong correlation between pre-
and postmining slopes at NARM.
A rebuilt hydrologic system must be erosionally
stable to drain water and blend with surrounding
drainage systems. For NARM, surface water qual-
ity is predicted to be similar to premining and meet
premining class of use standards. Hydrologic res-
toration plans for surface water discuss postmining
watershed characteristics, practices to be used for
drainage reconstruction (including channel geom-
etry), locations of permanent impoundments, and
a postmining monitoring plan. The function of
Porcupine Creek has been restored by rebuilding
the creek structure, sinuous channel, and hydrol-
ogy. The restoration established a maximum
amount of wetland and riparian habitat and sta-
bilized streambanks (Hansen & Murphree, 2003).
Structures (facilities and flood control reser-
voirs, sediment ponds, diversions, sediment traps,
alternate sediment control measures) constructed
in NARM’s permit area control runoff and pro-
vide sediment control during mining. According to
Wyoming State Rules and Regulations (2017), sed-
iment can’t leave the permit boundary and cause
an off-site impact. Sediment ponds are depicted
on the Mine and Reclamation Plan Map titled
“Hydrologic Control Plan.” Sixty one permanent
impoundments as of 2014 in NARM’s permit area
will supply water for livestock and wildlife, and
will be used as wetland mitigation. Permanent
impoundments on reclaimed surfaces are delin-
eated on the Mine and Reclamation Plan Map
titled “Post-mining Contours with Hydrologic
Restoration.”
Hydrologic restoration plans for groundwater
describe the source of recharge and provide a post-
mine monitoring plan with a map of permanent
backfill well locations. A discussion of probable
hydrologic consequences estimates final ground
and surface water quantity and quality. The assess-
ment of ground water quantity includes rate of
recovery predictions for the affected and backfill
aquifers. A map showing final anticipated potenti-
ometric surfaces of the affected aquifer is provided
in NARM’s permit.
The major goal of the reclamation plan is to
establish stable vegetation communities on chemi-
cally suitable soil and backfill material. According
to the revegetation performance standard “The
operator shall establish on all affected lands a
diverse, permanent vegetative cover of the same
seasonal variety native to the area or a mixture of
species that will support the approved postmining
land use in a manner consistent with the approved
reclamation plan. This cover shall be self-renewing,
and capable of stabilizing the soil” (Wyoming State
Rules & Regulations, 2017). The revegetated area
must support the approved postmining land use.
NARM’s revegetation plan provides a discussion
on vegetation establishment methods (seed mixes,
seeding techniques, mulching materials and rates,
husbandry practices). Also included are interim
vegetation monitoring and final revegetation suc-
cess plans. Various seed mixes are developed based
on baseline studies and on-site evaluation. Native
plant species are preferred, with introduced spe-
cies used only to provide utility in the mixes. The
seed mixes correspond to the following vegetation
types: grassland, riparian grassland, sagebrush
grassland, playa grassland, shrub mosaic and sage-
brush mosaics. All of these communities are native
to the premining environment. High plant produc-
tion on reclaimed soils in Wyoming, despite lack
of fertilization, suggests that total nitrogen is not
limiting production (Ingram et al., 2007). It was
found that reclaimed soils in Powder River Basin
in Wyoming had recovered structurally towards a
native soil condition after a period of 10–15 years
(Wick et al., 2009). Reclamation success is deter-
mined by a quantitative comparison of data from
the reference area with data from the reclaimed
area that include: cover (vegetative cover, total
ground cover), production (total production, spe-
cific species production), density and distribution
(shrubs, trees), species diversity, and species com-
position (Bilbrough & Howlin, 2012). This infor-
mation is presented and discussed in the NARM’s
annual report. Also specific areas planted in the
various seed mixes, along with seeding rates, are
included in tables and maps.
Disturbed areas seeded with native shrub and
grass species also provide habitat for wildlife. Rock
piles are constructed to simulate natural features.
To reduce the effects of mining on birds of prey,
several mitigation measures have been incorpo-
rated into the reclamation plan. Wildlife mitiga-
tion and monitoring plans include information on
all habitat restoration procedures.
The NARM permit includes following maps
(scale 1:1500) and exhibits showing major steps
in the mining/reclamation processes together with
a time schedule: “Topsoil removal (disturbance)
schedule”; “Hydrologic Control Plan”; “Mining
schedule”; Reclamation schedule (topsoil replace-
ment); Postmining contours with hydrologic res-
toration; “Postmining contours with surface slope
distribution”; “Postmining vegetation”; and “Post-
mining environmental monitoring locations.” These
maps are reviewed in the field during inspections.
9
Also reviews of annual reports are important tools
in determining if the operator is on time with the
planned schedule of mining/reclamation processes.
In case of delay or change in the direction of min-
ing and reclamation, the operator must submit a
revision to the permit.
4 RECLAMATION BOND PERFORMANCE
Before a mine permit is issued the mine opera-
tor must submit a reclamation bond to secure the
performance of reclamation obligations. The cost
of reclaiming the disturbed areas of a coal mine
is revised and updated annually through annual
reports submitted to WDEQ/LQD. A reclamation
performance bond or financial assurance must be
large enough to cover the full costs of reclamation
to ensure that the regulatory authority will have
sufficient funds to reclaim the site if the permit-
tee fails to complete the reclamation plan or hire
a third party to complete the reclamation plan in
the event of a bankruptcy of the coal mine com-
pany. The bond release can begin five years from
the date of permanent seeding in the eastern U.S.
and ten years after permanent seeding in the west-
ern U.S.
In Wyoming, there are four bond release phases
(Area Bond, Phase 1, 2, and 3) for surface coal
mines indicating the completion of various rec-
lamation phases (Krzyszowska Waitkus & Blake,
2011) (Table 2). In general, performance stand-
ards related to the release of performance bonds
for Area Bond and Phase 1 include the area being
backfilled and regraded with a functional drainage
system and applied soil. For Phase 2, vegetation
cover must be established in stable areas without
erosion. For Phase 3, the revegetation standards
and goals must be completed (Wood & Buchanan,
Table 2. Verification of bond release criteria.
Bond release
phase Verification of bond release criteria
Area Bond Backfilling, regrading completed
according to approved plan
Phase 1 Stream channel reconstructed
Soil applied
Phase 2 Vegetation established (ocular evaluation)
Surficial stability established
Permanent water impoundments
construction/renovation designed and
approved by the State Engineer’s Office
Phase 3 Revegetation success standards
established (statistical analysis)
Mitigation of wetlands (approved by
the US Army Corps of Engineers)
Trees established
2000). Revegetation as a portion of the assessment
of reclamation success created a lot of discussion
between coal operators, regulators, and environ-
mental specialists for long time in the state of Wyo-
ming (Krzyszowska Waitkus et al., 2000; Shuman,
2002).
The amount of the bond is revised annually
through annual reports according to WDEQ/LQD
Guideline 12 (Wyoming Department of Environ-
mental Quality, 2017). Bond release submittals are
not part of the permit, but the bond amount and
bonding instruments (e.g. letter of credit, certifi-
cates of deposit, and treasury bills) are submitted
with the permit.
As a result of cooperation between the federal
agency, private industry, environmental consult-
ants, and WDEQ/LQD representatives a set of
criteria and performance standards (Table 2) was
established that have to be fulfilled and verified
before the reclamation bond can be released. Up-
to-date information (WDEQ/LQD Guidelines 20,
21, 22, 23, and 25) regarding bond release verifi-
cation and compliance standards is posted on the
Wyoming DEQ website (Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality, 2017).
As reclamation phases are completed, the per-
mittee may apply for incremental, phased bond
release. Phased bonding encourages companies
to begin reclamation as soon as possible (called
contemporaneous reclamation). Initially, crite-
ria and performance standards are verified in the
field by the LQD representatives. Specific bond
release requests are approved in the field after
joint inspection by the permit operator, LQD, and
OSMRE representatives. Additionally, the opera-
tor compares the data gathered during the baseline
inventory with data gathered from the reclaimed
land. After reviewing the submitted information
and performing a field inspection, the LQD repre-
sentative makes a decision to approve or deny the
bond release request. If an Area Bond and Phase
1 request is approved, 60% of the bond can be
released, for Phase 2, 15%, and for Phase 3, 25% of
the bond can be released.
Various phases of bond release require verifica-
tion of criteria and performance standards in the
field which represents a challenge for the regula-
tory agency, especially for large mines. These chal-
lenges require a system to streamline field data
collection which can be utilized in evaluating bond
release and compliance requirements. As a result
of these challenges, a Bond Release Geodatabase
was developed for NARM in Wyoming. This geo-
database was the first spatially supported database
developed in Wyoming and in the U.S. to process
reclamation bond releases. The geodatabase was
designed to support the tracking of areas which
have achieved specific bond release criteria and
10
have satisfied performance standards in support
of incremental bond release. Compliance features
(e.g., topsoil depth, erosion, or wildlife habitat fea-
tures) were monitored and entered into the geoda-
tabase by LQD personnel during inspections using
a Global Position System (GPS) enabled data col-
lector (Krzyszowska & Waitkus, 2008). Verified
field data together with information submitted by
the operator were compiled into one Bond Release
Geodatabase. This geodatabase is a highly effective
method which sufficiently reduces the time needed
to track the bond release progress and reach agree-
ment between the operator and the regulator. It
also improves the state inspector’s ability to assess
reclamation adequacy and progress (Krzyszowska
Waitkus & Blake, 2011).
5 SUMMARY
The primary governmental responsibility for the
regulation of surface coal mining rests with the rules
and regulations of states that follow the require-
ments of SMCRA, 1977. The coal mine permit
is an agreement between the mine operator, state,
and federal agencies. The permittee is required to
meet performance standards and fulfill reclamation
goals to restore disturbed land to premining land
use.
Coal mine permit content follows the rules
and regulations of state regulatory agencies. The
permit presents data requirements and collection
methods to assess the adequacy of baseline and
monitoring data, predicts the impacts of mining,
provides information on reclamation techniques,
and presents methods evaluating the success of
reclamation. Because mining and reclamation
schedules included in the permit are constantly
changing due to market demand, the permit must
be constantly updated. The schedule, permit com-
mitments, and compliance with rules and regula-
tions are inspected monthly by the WDEQ/LQD’s
representative in the field. The permit is instru-
mental for the permittee and for the regulatory
agencies to gather all information and present how
all disturbed land can be restored to the premining
land use for the western states of the U.S. The pre-
sented case of the permit shows how the regula-
tions together with the operator’s experience and
their best management practices are advantageous
in the reclamation of severely disturbed land.
Reclamation of large surface coal mines can
be successful in a disturbance-sensitive, semi-arid
environment. Data from the largest surface coal
mine in Wyoming shows that a disturbed area
can be sufficiently revegetated to fulfill SMCRA
requirements over a period of 10 years. The set of
criteria and performance standards established for
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
il dire Augustæ Veneris, perchè sapendosi che la famiglia Giulia si
faceva scendere da Venere, si avrebbe una spiegazione allora più
razionale.
Che per altro Venerea fosse una condizione di schiava o di liberta,
ho già toccato nel Capitolo precedente e potevasi legare al
Venerium o luogo aggiunto al bagno destinato non tanto a nettezza
ed igiene del corpo, quanto a studio di piacere; onde abbiam già
veduto considerato il Venerium nell’annunzio già riportato da una
parete pompejana: In prædiis Juliæ Sp. F. locantur balneum,
Venerium et nongentum tabernæ, pergulæ, cœnacula. Rosini nella
già citata Dissertatio Isagogica, trattando di altre due iscrizioni, nelle
quali si nominano i Venerii, li crede schiavi che servissero a coloro
che usavano del gabinetto venerio [297].
Si fecero maraviglie perchè questa Tiche fin nella propria tomba si
vantasse d’essere stata mezzana di voluttà alla figliuola di Augusto;
ma v’è da sorprendersi di ciò in tempo in cui Gajo Petronio,
viceconsolo in pria in Bitinia e poi consolo, al dir di Tacito, fu fatto
maestro delle delizie: niuna ne gustava a Nerone in tanta dovizia che
Petronio non fusse arbitro? [298]
Un sepolcro incompiuto cui s’è dato il nome di Servilia e che
succede a quello di Tiche, reca infatti questo frammento d’epigrafe,
che per sè solo esprime gentilissimo affetto: servilia amico
anim... [299]; ma appunto per ciò non poteva essere la tomba di
Servilia. Nel columbarium si trovò un cippo colla iscrizione lvcceia
ianvaria. La struttura del mausoleo è simile quasi a quello di
Calvenzio Quieto, che è pur da questa parte, costruito da marmi
bianchi e di bello stile. Appartiene al genere de’ cenotafi, non avendo
nè porta, nè columbarium, vuoto e fatto, cioè, a solo titolo di
onoranza. Nella parte anteriore del quadrato è la seguente epigrafe:
C. CALVENTIO QVIETO
AVGVSTALI
HUIC OB MVNIFICENT. DECVRIONVM
DECRETO ET POPVLI CONSENSV BISELLII [300]
HONOR DATVS EST.
Sotto di essa vedesi sculto il bisellio, più compiuto ed elegante di
quel di Munazio Fausto, del quale già parlai nella Storia e dirò
ancora fra breve. Alle corone di quercia che i due lati del cippo
recano, si argomentò che Calvenzio avesse anche conseguito
l’onore della corona civica, ciò potendo essere autorizzati a ritenere
dalle tre lettere O. C. S. (ob civem servatum) che si leggono sullo
scanno. Le muraglie del recinto hanno basso rilievi in istucco, i quali
or più non si distinguono: quelli dell’ara in marmo, leggiadramente
decorata, vennero spiegati rappresentare Edipo in meditazione per
indovinare l’enigma della Sfinge, Teseo in riposo, e una fanciulla che
incendia il rogo.
Del triclinium funebre, che è pur a sinistra formato da tre panchi di
fabbrica e servienti al silicernium o banchetto funerale, dissi più
sopra.
Dal destro lato della via vuolsi riguardare alla abitazione che si
designò col nome di Giardino delle colonne in musaico od anco di
Sepolcro del Vaso blu, da quattro colonne in musaico, che sono
uniche finora nel genere e però del più grande interesse, e da una
magnifica anforella di vetro azzurro sulla quale è, in basso rilievo di
bianco smalto, espressa una scena bacchica, per la quale vien
considerata come il capo più importante della collezione de’ vetri
antichi del Museo Nazionale. Questa tomba fu scoperta il 29
dicembre 1837. Di faccia all’ingresso è una fontana entro una
nicchia di musaico a conchiglie e in mezzo alle stesse sorgeva un
amorino in marmo che stringeva un’oca, dal cui becco bellamente
zampillava l’acqua.
Segue la tomba detta delle Ghirlande da alcuni festoni sorretti da tre
pilastri corintii. Essa è costruita di grossi massi di piperno rivestiti di
stucco e due muri di fabbrica reticolata hanno a’ capi due are,
denominate acerræ secondo Pompeo Festo, o aræ turicremæ, come
vengono dette da Lucrezio (11, 353) e da Virgilio (Æneid. IV, 453),
perchè vi si bruciava, ad onoranza de’ morti l’incenso; onde Ovidio
(Heroid. 2. 18) chiamò turicremi foci le vampe che levavansi da esse
e Lucano (Phars. lib. 9. 989) turicremi ignes.
L’albergo e scuderia che si rinviene da questa parte e di cui tenni già
conto a suo luogo, è novello argomento del come indifferentemente
gli antichi abitassero, senza il sacro orrore che pur inspirano oggidì
le tombe, in mezzo alle stesse. L’assenza de’ cadaveri, la presenza
delle sole ceneri vi doveva contribuire d’assai ad eliminarlo,
l’impossibilità della corruzione non turbava la salubrità dell’aere.
Il sepolcro dalle porte di marmo è in opus reticulatum, cioè in materia
di fabbrica ad aspetto di maglie di rete, ricoperta di stucco. La
piccola porta nel basamento scorge ad una camera quasi
sotterranea che riceve luce da piccolo spiraglio, sotto cui è una
nicchia in cui si rinvenne un gran vaso d’alabastro orientale con
ceneri ed ossa, un grande anello d’oro con zaffiro, sul quale era
inciso un cervo, ambi ora al Museo Nazionale.
In un recinto che segue, due ceppi si trovarono che lo fecero
chiamare il sepolcreto della famiglia Istacidia o Nistacidia, come altri
scrivono, unendo la N. che i primi leggono separata sulle tre
seguenti iscrizioni:
N. ISTACIDIVS
HELENVS PAG.
—
N. ISTACIDIAE
SCAPIDI [302].

Sul muro di faccia alla via era scritta quest’altra iscrizione:

N. ISTACIDIO HELENO
MAG. PAG. AVG.
N. ISTACIDIO IANVARIO
MESONIAE SATVLLAE IN AGRO
PEDES XV IN FRONTE PEDES XV [303].

Bréton trae occasione da questa iscrizione per determinare la

lunghezza del piede in uso a Pompei, fissandola a 0 m, 287,
stabilendo così la prova che i Campani avevano adottato il piede
romano, del quale è tale appunto la lunghezza indicata da molti
monumenti antichi.
Secondo poi le nuove ricerche del comm. L. Canina, di cui la scienza
lamenta ancora la recente morte, la lunghezza reale del piede
romano sarebbe stata di 0 m, 296.35. Il miglio romano
componendosi di 5000 piedi, sarebbe stato per conseguenza di
1,481 m 75.
Tien dietro la Tomba di Nevoleja Tiche e di Munazio Fausto, de’ quali
ho già riferita, nel Capitolo IV che tratta della Storia, la iscrizione ed
al quale però rimando, a scanso di ripetizione [304]. È fra i più
interessanti mausolei. Si compone di un gran basamento
quadrilungo di marmo che posa per due gradini su altra gran base di
pietre vulcaniche: ha un’elegante cornice, pregevoli ornati e termina
ai lati estremi con un ravvolgimento di fogliami. Nella base superiore
evvi scolpito il busto di Nevoleja: al disotto, dopo l’iscrizione, v’è in
bassorilievo un sacrificio con diciotto figure in due gruppi; è la
consacrazione del monumento. L’un gruppo è costituito dai
magistrati municipali, colleghi di Munazio; l’altro da Nevoleja stessa
e dalla sua famiglia. Dal lato verso la città è effigiato il bisellio, o
seggio d’onore del quale trattai pur lungamente nel detto capitolo;
dall’altro lato verso Ercolano una nave con due alberi, l’un diritto,
traversale l’altro alla sommità del primo; da cui si sostiene una vela
quadrata. Sta il pilota al timone: due giovanetti sono in atto
d’ammainare la vela, mentre altri due si arrancano sulle corde, che
un uomo va riunendo. Era codesta un’allegoria della vita umana,
arrivata dopo la tempesta in porto, o piuttosto un simbolo della
mercatura nella quale Munazio si sarebbe arricchito? Significhi ciò
che voglia: i particolari del naviglio non riescono meno interessanti
allo studio della navigazione antica. La prora di questa nave è
decorata da una testa di Minerva, la poppa termina in collo di cigno.
A mezzo d’una porta a sinistra del monumento e dietro di essa
s’entra nella camera sepolcrale, di due metri in lunghezza e
larghezza, con due fila di nicchie per le urne cinerarie che si
trovarono al loro posto, ed erano in terra cotta, all’infuori d’una più
grande olla d’argilla contenente le ceneri di Nevoleja stessa o di
Munazio Fausto, o fors’anco d’entrambi. Tre belle urne di vetro
chiuse ermeticamente contenevano al tempo di loro scoperta (1813),
ceneri ed ossa galleggianti in un liquido che fu dall’analisi giudicato
una mistura d’acqua, olio e vino, avanzo certo delle libazioni fatte
nelle esequie.
Nelle urne di terra cotta si rinvennero altresì picciole monete, pel
passaggio sulla palude stigia a Caronte e qualche lucerna di terra
comune.
Chi fosse questa Nevoleja, può essere fantasticato, ma nulla si sa di
positivo, all’infuori di quel che ne dice l’iscrizione; una liberta, cioè, di
Giulia, figliuola dell’imperatore Augusto, forse concubina dipoi di
Munazio Fausto, col quale certo per la primitiva sua condizione non
avrà potuto vincolarsi in giuste nozze con Munazio, augustale e
maestro del sobborgo Augusto Felice, lo che equivarrebbe a sindaco
o confaloniere de’ nostri giorni.
Dentro il recinto di questo sepolcreto si trovò un’urna coll’epigrafe:
C. MVNATIVS ATIMETVS
VIX. ANNIS LVII [305].

Un bel mausoleo scoperto nell’anno 1812 in forma di ara, con

zoccolo e cornice eleganti, sormontata quest’ultima da un plinto e da
un bel fogliame d’alloro, sorge, perfettamente conservato, in
travertino e la iscrizione che si ripete eguale nei due lati meridionale
ed occidentale, lo dice spettante a Marco Allejo Lucio Libella padre e
Marco Allejo Libella figlio. Eccola:
M. ALLEIO LVCIO LIBELLAE PATRI AEDILI
II. VIR PRAEFECTO QUINQ. ET M. ALLEIO LIBELLAE F.
DECVRIONI VIXIT ANNIS XVII LOCVS MONVMENTI
PVBLICE DATVS EST ALLEIA M. F. DECIMILLA SACERDOS
PVBLICA CERERIS FACIVNDVM CVRAVIT VIRO ET FILIO [306].

Questa iscrizione dà motivo a sorprendersi come mai a soli

diciasette anni il figlio Marco Allejo Libella potesse essere già
decurione in Pompei. Perocchè ognun rammenti che lesse le
Epistole di Cicerone, come questi constatasse essere i pompeiani
assai gelosi dell’onore del decurionato. Avendo uno de’ suoi amici
sollecitato presso di lui perchè gli ottenesse una tal carica, egli
rispose: Romæ si vis, habebis. Pompeis difficile est [307], significando
essere più difficile cosa diventar decurione in Pompei, che non
divenire Senatore in Roma.
Presso i Romani, non si poteva essere decurione in età al disotto de’
venticinque anni, come si può raccogliere nel libro secondo del
Digesto: De Decurionibus: tuttavia potevasi derogare a questa legge
in virtù di privilegio accordato a determinata famiglia che se ne fosse
resa meritevole. Di questo novero doveva certamente essere stata la
famiglia dei Libella in Pompei.
Da questo monumento dei due Libella, eretto dalla pietà di sposa e
di madre, si passa al cenotafio di Cejo e Labeone, epperò senza
colombaio. Guasto assai di presente, un dì, attese le sue proporzioni
grandiose quantunque irregolari, deve essere stato di non dubbia
importanza. Vi dovevano essere bassorilievi di stucco e statue: forse
quelle medesime che vennero rinvenute presso ed erano un
personaggio in toga e parecchie matrone egregiamente palliate.
Eranvi nel zoccolo del gran piedistallo delle iscrizioni in grossi
caratteri rossi, ma così sbiaditi che non si poterono leggere. Si lesse
invece quella nello stesso monumento, che fu poi trasferita al
Museo. Eccola:
L. CEIO L. F. MEN. L. LABEON
ITER D. V. I. D. QVINQ.
MENOMACHVS L. [308].

Come superiormente ho fatto, nel leggere l’iscrizione sul monumento

di Scauro, interpretando la parola men, abbreviatura della prima
linea, per della Tribù Menenia; io pure, in questa di Lucio Cejo,
interpretai con Mazois ed altri l’egual abbreviatura nella stessa
maniera: Bréton nondimeno la dichiarò per Menomachus,
adducendone una ragione abbastanza plausibile. Un usage, scrive
egli, presque constant, était que les affranchis empruntassent le nom
ou le surnom de leurs patrons, et que c’est sans doute ce qu’avait
fait Menomachus fondateur du monument [309].
Nella camera mortuaria del monumento si raccolsero due balsamari
di terra cotta e un’urna bellissima di vetro con ossa.
Il Bonucci afferma che qui presso, a piccola distanza l’uno dall’altro,
si rinvenissero cinque scheletri, tra’ quali quello d’una donna di
ricchissima taglia. Recavano sopra di sè monete di argento e di
bronzo e un materozzolo di chiavi con de’ grimaldelli; lo che lascia
supporre che fra di essi vi fosse qualche ladro rimasto nella città per
esercitare il suo infame mestiere e che il Vesuvio lo abbia
giustamente sorpreso e punito [310].
Dietro di tal monumento scopronsi le rovine di due grandi sepolcreti,
ed evvi un recinto sepolcrale, ove erano diversi cippi che dicevansi
columellæ, perchè appunto erano colonnette, columella essendo
diminutivo di columna. Su d’una di essa era scritto:
ICEIVS COM
MVNIS

Una columella che sta avanti una nicchia con un frontispizio segna il
sepolcro di Salvio, fanciullo di anni 6, come lo fa sapere l’iscrizione:
SALVIVS PVER
VIX. ANNIS VI.

Presso è altra nicchia in fondo della quale era dipinto un giovane, su

cui pendevano ghirlande di fiori: era il sepolcro del fanciullo
dodicenne, Numerio Velasio Grato, giusta l’epigrafe:
N. VELASIO GRATO
VIX. ANN. XII.

Poichè sono a dire delle columelle, ne trovo ricordata una nel

Viaggio a Pompei dell’Abate Domenico Romanelli, la quale
terminava in un busto marmoreo con testa di bronzo e della quale
parlarono gli Accademici Ercolanensi nella Dissertazione Isagogica.
Si esprimeva nell’epigrafe essere il simulacro di Cajo Norbano
Sorice attore delle seconde parti nelle tragedie, maestro del pago
suburbano Augusto Felice, cui fu assegnato il luogo per decreto de’
decurioni.
Così almeno traduce il Romanelli il seguente testo dell’epigrafe
C. NORBANI SORICIS
SECVNDARVM
MAG. PAGI AVG. FELICIS
SVBVRBANI
EX D. D. LOC. D.

Ed una tale traduzione egli eseguì dopo certo aver veduto le

illustrazioni fattene dal signor Millin che appella erudito e dal signor
De Clarac in due dissertazioni stampate in Napoli. Ma a me è pur
lecito di domandarmi come mai ad un attore delle seconde parti nelle
tragedie si potesse concedere l’onore dapprima di essere maestro
del pago, e poscia l’onor del posto speciale, per decreto de’
decurioni, se noi sappiamo che se a’ più grandi attori non
isdegnavano i più eminenti uomini intimità ed affetto come a Roscio
ed Esopo, agli altri, massime se minori, riserbavasi l’ignominioso
titolo di istrione, la fustigazione del larario e il trattamento servile?
L’iscrizione d’altronde tace della qualità di Cajo Norbano Sorice, nè
la parola secundarum parmi, congiuntamente al resto dell’epigrafe,
non autorizzi a sottintendere le parole che le si affibbiano actoris
secundarum partium in tragœdiis.
Scoperta nel 1775, succede la camera sepolcrale di Gneo Vibrio
Saturnino figlio di Quinto, della tribù Falerina, come si leggeva al di
fuori del triclinio funebre unito, ci avverte la seguente iscrizione:
CN. VIBRIO Q. F. FAL.
SATVRNINO
CALLISTVS LIB.

Dissi che si leggeva, perchè ora l’iscrizione fu trasferita al Museo di

Napoli. Piace anzitutto constatare nell’atto pietoso del liberto Callisto
che a propria spesa rizza un monumento all’antico padrone come la
riconoscenza fosse, più che del nostro, virtù de’ secoli andati; siffatti
omaggi di liberti non erano infrequenti. Io ne ho già recati più d’uno.
Dopo di questo, ci troviam dinnanzi alle sepolture della famiglia Arria
o di Diomede, state scoperte nell’anno 1774, le quali, per trovarvisi
di fronte, diedero il nome alla casa di campagna, che già ho
descritta, e fu ritenuta essere proprietà di Marco Arrio Diomede
liberto.
La tomba di Diomede, il padre, è la prima e la più importante che
esamineremo. La fronte del monumento la indica nella seguente
iscrizione:
M. ARRIVS I. L. DIOMEDES
SIBI SVIS MEMORIAE
MIGISTER PAG. AVG. FELIC. SVBVRB [311].

La sigla che segue al nome di Arrius, che io d’un tratto supplii con un
I, ma che nel marmo ben non si comprende, fu interpretata
diversamente. La più parte ritennero significare Arrii, seguendo
l’ermeneutica adottata da Bréton nel leggere l’iscrizione di Cejo; ma
Bréton è poi curioso che, abbandonandola in questa iscrizione,
abbia voluto leggere nella sigla una J, che interpretò per Juliæ. La
ragione sola che costei potesse essere la Julia Felix, una de’ più
ricchi proprietarj di Pompei, non pare nè seria, nè da accettarsi.
Piuttosto dovrebbesi essere meglio inclinati a ritenerlo liberto di
Giulia la figliuola di Augusto, che avanti la morte del padre
chiamavasi Livia, e così sarebbe stato conservo di questa imperiale
matrona colle due Tichi, di cui menzionammo più sopra le tombe.
Greche di nome codeste due liberte, parimenti greco sarebbe il
nome di Diomede: forse quindi tutti compatrioti.
Il monumento pompeggia sull’altezza d’un muro con un terrapieno
che serve di base a questa tomba di famiglia; esso si costituisce di
un frontispizio con pilastrini d’ordine corintio ai lati ed è in cattivo
stato ed ha nulla di rimarchevole fuor che alcuni fasci nella facciata,
e due teste di marmo l’una di uomo, l’altra di donna, appena
abozzate, che gli antichi avevano costume di collocar nei sepolcri
per distinguerli.
Dietro la testa d’uomo, era questa iscrizione:
 M. ARRIO
PRIMOGENI

e ricordava il primogenito della famiglia di Diomede. Dietro la testa

della donna eravi quest’altra:
ARRIAE M. L.
VIIII

e ricordava la nona figlia di Marco Arrio Diomede liberto.

Sul detto muro inferiore poi che serve di monumento sepolcrale ad
un’altra figlia del medesimo, sta questa iscrizione:
ARRIAE M. F.
DIOMEDES L. SIBI SVIS

Tutta insomma una famiglia.

Presso questo sepolcreto di famiglia è un vasto recinto che si
prolonga verso la strada ed è tutto circondato da un solido muro che
sosteneva un terrapieno, nel quale si videro de’ tubi per lo scolo
delle acque: forse era tal luogo il sepulcrum comune o cimitero delle
classi inferiori, ed anche l’ustrinum. Vi si riconobbero infatti ossa
umane in copia e reliquie di funebri banchetti.
E qui ha fine tutto quanto la Via delle Tombe in Pompei può
presentar di rimarchevole e giova ad illustrare quanto m’accadde di
dire intorno alla religione de’ morti nell’antichità romana.
Solo mi corre obbligo adesso, a pieno compimento e prima di
congedarmi da questo capitolo onde si chiude il mio qualunque
lavoro, di segnalare al buon lettore che mi ha seguito fin qui, una
particolarità, che vale egualmente a confermare l’uso romano che
tutti i sobborghi d’una città servissero a sepolture. Gli scavi eseguiti
ne’ mesi di maggio e giugno 1854 fuori dell’altra porta pompejana
detta di Nola hanno condotto a scoprire molte urne in terra cotta
contenenti ceneri di bruciati cadaveri, e chi sa che altrettanto non
venga forse di constatare negli scavi ulteriori fuori delle altre porte?
Questo verificandosi, sarebbesi tratti allora a mettere in sodo che
non solo a Roma, ma fuori quasi tutte le porte di tutte le città
conformate agli usi di Roma, e più specialmente nelle colonie, si
praticasse seppellire i defunti; cioè riporre le loro ceneri — perocchè
non si costumasse inumarli — e rizzare monumenti funebri ed
ipogei.
La quale consuetudine rispondeva al bisogno che provavasi e che
son venuto dimostrando di onorare la memoria dei cari trapassati,
avendone le dilette reliquie in vicinanza delle abitazioni, nè punto
comprometteva la pubblica igiene. Non era come de’ nostri cimiteri
suburbani, che raccogliendo non le ceneri, ma i cadaveri, saturano
delle loro decomposizioni la terra, corrompono di loro esalazioni
l’aere e infettano le acque che vi filtrano e via trascorrono seco
traendo i tristi elementi della putrefazione, germi ignorati di epidemie
e d’altri mali: il fuoco invece lasciava ceneri purificate ed innocue, e
spogliava le tombe di quell’orrore — sia pur sacro — che adesso
ispirano, malgrado vadano i sacri recinti eretti con superbe
architetture e decorati di splendidi e marmorei monumenti.
Ond’è che naturalmente son condotto a chiudere l’argomento
coll’associarmi al voto di chi in oggi si fè apostolo del ritorno al
sistema della cremazione, come quello che sia per essere il solo che
ci permetterà d’aver per sempre e senza nocumento a noi vicini i
preziosi avanzi dei nostri cari.
 CONCLUSIONE

Mi fu detto, all’apparire del primo volume di questa mia opera, come

il tuono spigliato e leggero col quale l’avevo incominciata nullamente
annunziasse che poi sarebbesi mutato sì presto per diventare
accigliato talvolta e grave sempre; che d’un libro, il qual sarebbesi
creduto di solo amena lettura, quale avrebbe potuto essere se
unicamente di impressioni e ricordi di un viaggio, ne sarebbe poi
uscito fuori un gazofilacio di classica erudizione. L’osservazione, od
appunto che si voglia appellare, era giustissimo, e a dir vero non era
stato pure ne’ miei primi intendimenti di riuscire al lavoro che solo
adesso ho ultimato; ma, come con ragione sentenziarono i nostri
vicini di Francia c’est en mangeant que l’appetit vient, toccando cose
ed argomenti che furono sempre l’amore e lo studio miei fin da’ più
giovani anni di mia vita, m’era stato impossibile farlo senza lasciarmi
andare a percorrere tutto intero l’arringo.
M’addiedi allora di poter mirare anche a proficuo fine. Addentrarmi
nelle questioni di pura archeologia e impancarmi co’ suoi campioni,
nè avrei avuto la forza, nè parevami perdonabile tampoco
l’ardimento, da che allora avrei dovuto, come gli altri fecero,
eleggermi per lungo tempo a soggiorno i luoghi medesimi delle mie
indagini ed intraprendere studj che le peculiari mie condizioni mi
contendevano, per non giungere forse, in ultimo risultamento, a
recar qualsiasi buon contributo alla scienza, alla quale sopra luogo
attendono diggià nobilissimi intelletti pur del nostro paese. Mi
sembrò quindi più profittevole scopo convergere quanto già
l’archeologia aveva degli scavi pompejani illustrato, a chiarire più
direttamente la vita pubblica e privata degli antichi Romani, da che
Pompei ne fosse stata una colonia e così quanto era stato esumato
della gentile città porre in armonia con quanto scrittori, storici e poeti
di quell’età avevano lasciato a’ posteri ricordato a giovarsi così
reciprocamente di commentario e illustrazione.
I giovani uscenti dalle scuole carico il capo di quella indigesta
erudizione che loro infarciscono antologie e crestomazie, presto la
dimenticano, perchè appunto confusamente e forse a mala voglia
appresa ne’ brani scelti degli autori latini o greci che loro pongonsi
avanti. Carità mi pareva venire loro in soccorso con opera che
ordinata e distribuita seriamente, servisse a collocare tutta quella
farragine di nozioni a proprio posto e rendere queste per tal guisa
indimenticabili e di utilità efficace; onde per dirla con un concetto
dantesco, moleste nel primo gusto, lasciassero, digeste, vital
nutrimento [312]. Quello che in qualche modo avevano il barone di
Theis ottenuto col suo Policleto a Roma, e Barthelemy coll’Anacarsi
in Grecia, ed altri coi Viaggi di Antenore e di Trasibulo nella Grecia e
nell’Asia, io vagheggiai poter fare con Pompei e le sue Rovine in
Italia, discorrendo alla mia volta delle romane istituzioni [313].
Vi sarò io riuscito?....
Non chieggo la risposta nè a Fiorelli, nè a Minervini, nè agli altri
severi cultori delle archeologiche discipline. Il mio libro non è fatto
per essi: v’ha un altro pubblico e più numeroso, quello che sulle
opere loro irte di greco e di osco si addormenterebbe, il quale ha pur
d’uopo d’essere confortato di buoni studj, ma che s’acciglierebbe e
darebbe addietro davanti a forma troppo severa, a discettazioni
troppo erudite, e il cui fine e la cui utilità non si vedon poi sempre
coronate da esito felice.
La forma quindi leggiera stessa e per avventura amena colla quale
aveva il mio lavoro esordito, così stando le cose, disponeva, a mio
avviso, acconciamente l’animo de’ miei giovani lettori ad accostarsi
più volonteroso al medesimo, s’egli è vero quel che cantò l’immortale
Torquato:

Sai che là corre il mondo, ove più versi

Di sue dolcezze il lusinghier Parnaso
 E che il vero condito in molli versi
I più schivi allettando ha persuaso:
Così all’egro fanciul porgiamo aspersi
Di soave licor gli orli del vaso:
Succhi amari ingannato intanto ei beve,
E dall’inganno suo vita riceve [314].

Avranno essi forse notato soverchie le citazioni degli autori; ma con

quanto or dissi ne troveranno la giustificazione: non era il ripeto, un
libro di solo amena lettura che intendevo di fare, ma opera quasi di
complemento di classica educazione. E perchè più generale ne
fosse il vantaggio, curai apporre in calce la traduzione delle testuali
citazioni, approfittando all’uopo delle migliori e più conosciute
versioni. Vero è che più d’una volta mi occorse di sostituire a quelle i
miei volgarizzamenti; ma il feci allora o che si trattasse di traduzioni
non ancor suggellate dalla fama, o di quelle che fatte alla libera,
riproducendole, non avrebbero giustificata la ragion della citazione. Il
più spesso ne avvisai con particolare mia nota il lettore.
Havvi poi un interesse ancor più generale in questi studj che mi sono
proposto ed è che una più profonda conoscenza della antica società
romana avesse a valere ad aprire gli occhi de’ presenti sovra
erronee credenze ed estimazioni che si son venute facendo di essa
infino ad ora e che tuttavia non sono senza discapito nostro.
Precettori e scrittori non hanno ancor cessato di mezzo a noi di
mettere i tempi e le istituzioni dell’antica Roma a raffaccio coi nostri
tempi e colle istituzioni nostre, di giudicare l’antica storia coi criterii
dell’attuale, e di spiegare persino le storie dei nostri politici
rivolgimenti colla storia di quel gran popolo, dicendosi continua la
riproduzione degli eventi, identiche le passioni, virtù e vizi eguali in
tutti i tempi. Epperò argomentarono essi possibile ed utile il
risuscitare i provvedimenti di allora, mentre la nostra intelligenza,
che s’è venuta di età in età modificando, e in continuo movimento di
progresso, esiga che leggi della umana associazione non abbiano
ad essere più le medesime.
Come vorreste voi conciliare infatti le antiche istituzioni, che sì
strettamente si collegano colle credenze religiose, colle moderne
che tendono a emanciparsi da ogni vincolo religioso? Come
spiegarci tante leggi adesso, che allora avevano la ragion d’essere
nelle istituzioni di patrizii e di plebei, di patroni e di clienti, di signori e
di schiavi? Come invocare al nostro tempo, giusta quanto adoperiam
sì sovente noi avvocati, seguiti anche troppo spesso da’ giudici,
l’autorità de’ romani giureconsulti, quando la patria podestà antica
non era che una mostruosa tirannide del diritto di vita e di morte, e di
vendita per tre volte perfino del figlio; quando sproporzionata la
successione tra il fratello e la sorella; quando, per non dir d’ogn’altra
anomalia, il patriotismo stesso toglieva di mezzo ogni sentimento
naturale e la libertà veniva così compresa da escludere qualsiasi
guarentigia per quella individuale?
Richiamare pertanto adesso, in cui non è cessato ancora in Italia il
periodo della incubazione legislativa, l’attenzione allo studio
dell’epoca romana, mi sembrò di non lieve importanza ed anche di
assai pratica utilità.
Dopo enunciati cotali intenti, avanti di congedarmi dal lettore, mi sia
concesso rivolgere un ultimo sguardo agli scavi di Pompei. Essi
procedono sotto la intelligente e dotta direzione di quell’illustre che è
il summentovato comm. G. Fiorelli e sta bene, e sono con amore e
studio seguiti da egregi cultori delle dottrine archeologiche, che li
vengono illustrando principalmente nel Giornale degli Scavi che si
publica in Napoli, ma che sventuratamente è in mano di pochi, ed al
quale ho io sì di sovente ricorso in questa mia opera, e sta bene
ancora; ma intanto che si affatica da una parte ad esumare quanto è
ancora sepolto, che fa dall’altra il Tempo? Prende la sua terribil
rivincita di quanto non ha potuto distruggere sinchè la terra che vi
stava sopra gli vietò l’opera demolitrice. Smantellati i tetti delle case,
distrutti i piani superiori, arsi e caduti gli impalcati, spezzate e
giacenti le colonne, disperse le pietre sepolcrali, la pioggia, il sole, il
vento hanno presa sui ruderi antichissimi e già in più luoghi essi non
serban pur l’ombra di quel che furono in addietro. Invano si ricorre a
riparazioni, proteggendo alcune muraglie con tegole, ricoprendo di
tetti recenti taluni edifici; invano si procura lasciare quanto si può in
luogo, acciò ne sia conservato il carattere [315]; invano si creano
regolamenti e discipline; il tempo, più potente di tutto, permette
intravvedere, in epoca non lontana, che pria che tutta la restante
città venga dissepolta, quella che già lo è abbia a ridursi a un monte
di indistinte macerie e si avveri quel che Foscolo constatò degli
antichi monumenti, che

Il Tempo colle fredde ali vi spazza

Fin le rovine [316].

Già più pareti di camere delle loro dipinture non hanno che qualche
traccia appena: altre l’hanno perduta affatto; già segni ed emblemi
caratteristici scomparvero, caddero graffiti, scomparvero iscrizioni,
rovinarono muri, da che la distruzione dei tetti fosse già opera del
cataclisma vesuviano, e chi visita con interesse Pompei se ne
preoccupa e tanto più in quanto la parte primamente scoperta si
giudichi, come provai, la più interessante.
Che avrebbesi dunque a fare?
V’ha chi crede che por mano a riparazioni e ristauri sia opera
profana poco meno di empia e si ha forse ragione: epperò per que’
tratti almeno, ne’ quali la rovina si determina così da togliere ogni
ulteriore interesse per l’archeologo e pel curioso osservatore, non
potrebbe mo’ cavarsene partito, purchè ceduti, dietro apposite
discipline e dicevoli corrispettivi, a ricchi privati, si imponesse ai
cessionari di ricostruire sulla originaria architettura pompejana?
Delle migliaja di ricchi sfondolati che visitano ogni anno gli scavi, chi
può dire non si trovi alcuno che ami avere in questo ridentissimo ed
ubertoso pendio che il Vesuvio sogguarda, al par di Cicerone, il suo
vaghissimo Pompejanum?
Come Cuvier ha dalle ossa fossili rinvenute ricostruito perfino
animali preistorici e da più secoli scomparsi dalla terra, più
facilmente potrebbesi dalla pianta degli edifici rifare gli alzati e
l’architetto governativo e la commissione che si dovrebbe creare
fornirebbero le architetture e così mano mano sull’antico verrebbesi
riedificando il novello Pompei, perenne e non indegno scopo di
curiosità e di studio a nazionali e forestieri.
È un’idea codesta siccome un’altra.
Una ne emise assai prima l’illustre autore dei Martyrs e del Génie du
Christianisme nel suo Voyage en Italie nel brevissimo cenno che vi
dettò su d’Ercolano, di Portici e di Pompei, e parmi che giovi di
riferire, perocchè al medesimo fine essa miri della mia proposta. «En
parcourant cette cité des morts — scrive il visconte di
Chateaubriand, une idée me poursuivoit. A mesure que l’on
déchausse quelque édifice à Pompeïa, on enlève ce que donne la
fouille, ustensiles de ménage, instruments de divers métiers,
meubles, statues, manuscrits, etc., et l’on entasse le tout au Musée
Portici. Il y auroit selon moi quelque chose de mieux à faire: ce seroit
de laisser les choses dans l’endroit où on les trouve et comme on les
trouve, de remettre des toits, des plafonds, des planchers et des
fenêtres, pour empêcher la dégradation des peintures et des murs;
de relever l’ancienne enceinte de la ville; d’en clore les portes, afin
d’y établir une garde de soldats avec quelques savants versés dans
les arts. Ne seroit-ce pas là le plus merveilleux Musée de la terre,
une ville romaine conservée toute entière, comme si ses habitants
venoient d’en sortir un quart d’heure auparavant?
«On apprendroit mieux l’histoire domestique du peuple romain, l’état
de la civilisation romaine dans quelques promenades à Pompeïa
restaurée, que par la lecture de tous les ouvrages de l’antiquité.
L’Europe entière accourroit: les frais qu’exigeroit la mise en œuvre
de ce plan seroient amplement compensés par l’affluence des
étrangers à Naples. D’ailleurs rien n’obligeroit d’exécuter ce travail à
la fois, on continueroit lentement, mais régulièrement les fouilles; il
ne foudroit qu’un peu de brique, d’ardoise, de charpente et de
menuiserie pour les employer en proportion da déblai. Un architecte
habile suivroit, quant aux restaurations, le style local dont il trouveroit
des modèles dans les paysages peints sur les murs mêmes des
maisons de Pompeïa.»
Come si può accorgere il lettore, di poco la mia idea si discosta da
codesta di Chateaubriand, la quale per altro, limitandosi ad una
semplice opera di restauro, oltre che è combattuta fieramente dagli
archeologi, è forse di poco pratica attivazione, avuto riguardo alla
condizione delle muraglie in generale che mal sopporterebbero la
sovrapposizione di quell’altra parte di muro che valesse a
completarla, senza dire che in più luoghi il salnitro e altre ragioni di
degradazione vieterebbero il ritorno delle dipinture.
Qualunque sia il pensiero tendente alla conservazione di Pompei, di
questa così interessante città che si va ogni dì più evocando dal suo
sepolcro in cui giacque presso a due mila anni, mette conto esser
preso in considerazione ed esame, principalmente da chi è preposto
alla pubblica cosa. Se lo stato trova di sua convenienza e decoro di
consacrare alla conservazione de’ monumenti e de’ cimelii antichi
disseminati per tutta Italia, istituti e somme ragguardevoli, per
ragione maggiore volger deve le sue cure alla conservazion di
questa antica città, perocchè ben dicesse l’inglese Taylor, scrivendo
a Carlo Nodier intorno appunto ad essa e ad Ercolano:
«Roma non è che un vasto museo; Pompei è un’antichità vivente.»
Bacone, parlando di antichità, di storie sfigurate e di storici
frammenti sfuggiti per avventura alla distruzione del tempo, li
paragona alle tavole che galleggiano dopo il naufragio; ebbene le
Rovine di Pompei sono preziose reliquie di un naufragio che
meritano essere ad ogni costo salvate, che vogliono ad ogni modo
essere strappate al continuo e latente processo di loro completa
distruzione e allora soltanto potremo sclamare con Schiller:

L’are
Sorgono ancor. Venite e il sacro foco
Raccendete agli dei, chè troppo lunghi
Secoli di votiva ostia l’han privi [317].

FINE.
 APPENDICE PRIMA
I busti di Bruto e di Pompeo [318].

La lentezza colla quale ha proceduto, senza alcuna mia colpa e

contro anzi ogni mia volontà, la stampa di quest’opera ha prodotto,
fra gli altri, anche questo inconveniente, che si avesse a smarrire
quella parte di manoscritto che recava la dichiarazione dei due busti
di Pompeo e di Bruto, che doveva avere il suo luogo nel capitolo
XVIII, che tratta dell’Arti Belle, e là proprio dove io venni
intrattenendo il lettore della statuaria e ne notai lo scadimento allo
invalere più frequente di questo genere di scultura che sono i busti, e
avrei voluto recar esempi pompejani di questo genere. I disegni di
tali busti furono tuttavia collocati a quel posto e li avrà veduti il lettore
nel secondo volume: ora occorre che al difetto involontario
sopperisca la presente appendice.
Nelle ultime stanze della casa di Lucio Popidio Secondo in Pompei
nella Regione seconda ed alla altezza di pochi metri dal suolo
vennero in questi ultimi anni (19 e 24 novembre 1868) ritrovati i due
busti de’ quali è argomento [319]. Gli archeologi non esitarono a
sentenziare raffigurare l’uno Cneo Pompeo, il gran capitano che
rivaleggiò con Giulio Cesare, epperò denominato Magno, e il qual fu
vinto da quello nella battaglia di Farsalia e quindi ucciso; e l’altro le
sembianze di Marco Bruto, ultimo repubblicano di Roma e uccisore
di chi aveva alla sua volta uccisa la romana libertà.
Comunque io abbia dovuto notare che la furia de’ busti in Italia
segnasse l’era della decadenza dell’arti; pur tuttavia questi che si
esumarono in Pompei sono ben lungi dallo accusare degenerazione
di gusto. I migliori giudici e buongustai affermarono arditamente che
considerevole sia il valore artistico di queste opere, e che
appartengono a greco scalpello. Sono esse del più puro e fino
marmo pario; ma ciò non tolse che la moda di allora non li avesse a
colorire, come è dato di convincersene per alcune traccie che vi si
riconoscono tuttavia di colore: lo che è importante per la storia
dell’arte di tener conto.
E venendo prima a dire del busto del magno Pompeo, dinanzi ad
esso è mestieri ammettere che dove la storia non ci avesse nel
narrare le gesta di questo illustre appreso il carattere di lui, questa
opera elettissima del greco artista sarebbe venuta opportuna a
riempiere la lacuna, perocchè l’espressione che vi assegnò
attesterebbe di quella nobiltà naturale, di quella piena coscienza di
sua nobiltà onde andava altamente distinta questa grandiosa figura
storica sin dalla sua giovinezza. «Molte erano le cagioni, scrisse
Plutarco di lui, che amar lo facevano: la temperanza nella maniera
del vitto, l’esercitarsi che faceva nell’armi, l’attività di persuadere che
aveva nel suo ragionare, la fermezza de’ suoi costumi e la gentilezza
e l’affabilità nell’accogliere e nel trattar le persone; non essendovi
alcun altro che men di lui molesto fosse in pregare, nè che
s’impiegasse con più di piacere in servizio di chi nel pregava;
mostrando egli alacrità nel far benefizii, e ritegno e gravità
mostrando in riceverli. Da principio aveva egli ben anche l’aspetto
che non mediocremente cooperava a cattivargli la propensione degli
animi e che parlava in di lui favore prima ch’ei movesse parola.
Imperciocchè l’aria amabile, che in esso appariva, maestosa era ad
un tempo stesso e soave; e dalla sua giovine e florida età a tralucer
cominciaron ben tosto i suoi onorevoli ed augusti costumi» [320].
Anche Vellejo Patercolo e Plinio il Vecchio, attestarono di questa sua
decorosa bellezza dicevole alla grandezza del suo stato ed alla sua
fortuna [321].
Qual maraviglia allora, che Lucano, nella sua Farsaglia, lui
apostrofando nei giorni che la Fortuna aveva preso in fastidio i suoi
trionfi, così gli dicesse: