Post-Extraction Mine-Scape. Alternate Production and Recreation Protocol for Slite.

Abstract: Quarrying of limestone on the Swedish island of Gotland dates all the way back to the 5th century but saw the rise of its modern form during the early 20th century, with the establishment of Cementa AB at Slite, which since then has developed as an industrial town. Cementa has been progressively mining limestone in three large open pit quarries in Slite. Their factory accounts for approximately three quarters of Sweden’s cement production and is considered to be a vital part of the construction industry. However, the ecological and social damages caused by the extractive procedures far exceed the economic incentive and has triggered numerous debates on whether they should be allowed to continue production.   This project henceforth envisions an alternate post-extraction future for Slite’s mine-scape, where the production of cement will shift from extracting limestone to growing limestone using calcareous microalgae. The leftover quarries will be regenerated, the factory will be repurposed, and the contextual industrial land will be developed, improved, and enhanced for the benefit of the surrounding community and visitors. By shifting to a net-zero carbon method of producing cement, alternate industries will develop in place which will also resolve Slite’s socio-economic dependency on limestone and diversify its mono-cultural economy. A 30-year protocol is planned to transform the urban-industrial fabric of Slite into a microalgae farming field and extreme sports destination - creating an anthroposcenic garden in which production, everyday life and leisure are meant to be compatible. While the quarries will undergo a natural rewilding process, this proposal does not intend to artificially restore the quarries entirely to their original landscapes but rather acknowledge our anthropogenic actions as irreversible and consequential; and hence engage with this damaged landscape to find new uses for it.