Industrial Areas as a Path to Urban Mining

Industrial areas, which represent a specific type of urbanised area with an extremely high concentration of material reserves, can be considered key anthropogenic raw material reservoirs in the context of urban mining. Industrial areas, characterised by a high material density and a specific composition of structural systems, show extraordinary potential for providing secondary raw materials with high material and energy value. This increases the need for their systematic evaluation. The aim of the present study was to define the role of the selected industrial area as a strategic node for secondary raw material extraction, to identify the structure and quality of “urban deposits” in the selected location of the Ostrava–Karviná region (CZ), and to provide an analytical framework for its integration into circular planning processes. The methodological approach is based on a combination of pre-demolition audit, material flow mapping, spatial analysis, and structural element characterisation. It is becoming apparent that industrial areas have a high material density and contain significant amounts of recyclable metals, reinforced concrete elements, etc. These stocks are often concentrated in structural systems with predictable geometries, such as serial assembly prefabricated and steel frames, allowing for more accurate estimates of recoverable volumes. The results show that the incorporation of industrial areas into the process of urban mining can significantly reduce the consumption of primary raw materials, mitigate the environmental impacts associated with the extraction of raw materials, and, at the same time, promote the regeneration of industrial areas (or brownfields) through the planned decomposition of structures. The inclusion of urban mining in urban development strategies and the regeneration of industrial sites leads to the prediction that urban mining is one of the key elements for achieving a material-efficient and low-carbon urban environment.