THE CEMENT production factory owned by Portuguese company Cimpor, based near the A22 in Loulé, is due to start recovering the surrounding landscape which has been affected by limestone mining.
The work, which is predicted to cost around 250,000 euros, was due to have started this year and be complete in 2010.
Hélio Viero, director of the production centre, said that the initial forecast date to recover the landscape was based on the amount of limestone that would be mined.
“We have not yet reached the final layer of limestone to be able to start the work,” he said. “One of the reasons for the reduced consumption of limestone is that overall production has slowed down because of the financial crisis.”
A new plan has now been agreed for soil to be placed in the north-north eastern part of the production centre’s exploration area, where trees and other vegetation will be planted by 2010.
The site will also have a basin to retain rain water, which will serve as an artificial lake to water the plants.
“This process of recuperation is due to continue until at least 2048,” said Hélio Viero.
The site currently produces around 600,000 tonnes of clinker annually, 200,000 tonnes of which is exported to Spain. Around 500,000 tonnes of cement is also sold locally for construction.
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