MINING RESOURCES

MINERAL A mineral is any substance that is naturally present in Earth’s crust and is not formed from animal or vegetable matter having definite chemical composition and identifiable physical properties. In other words – is defined as a homogenous substance which has a definite chemical composition and is produced by natural inorganic processes. Earth’s geological process has formed these minerals over millions of years and hence they are Non-renewable An ore is a mineral or combination of minerals from which a useful substance such as metal can be extracted and is used to manufacture useful products.

USES DISTRIBUTION About 2000 types are there, only 200 are put to use Asia –rich in tin, tungston and Mn, but poor in gold and platinum India –rich in Mn, Fe, chromite, limestone, dolomite, silica and mica; but poor in K reserves

Cu, Pb, Zn, tin, gold, silver and Platinum will last till---end of this century Al, Co, Mn and Mo will last upto 2100 -2200 A.D Fe and Cr till 2500 -2800 A.D

Minerals are of two types Metallic minerals: Iron, Copper, Aluminium, Zinc, Manganese etc. Non-Metallic minerals: Coal, Salt, clay, Silica, sulphur, asbestos, phosphates etc. Stones: building materials – limestone, granite, marble etc. Aesthatic and ornamental - Gems: diamonds, gold, silver, platinum, emeralds, rubies etc.

Extraction of ores/minerals – Mining Mining – Four stages Prospecting – searching for minerals Exploration – assessing size, shape, location, economic value of the deposit (Geologist, Mining Engineers, Geophysicist, Geochemist) Development – work of preparing access to the deposit Exploitation – extracting from mines

Stages in life cycle of a mine: - Youth – development stage TYPES OF MINING Deep Mining: (deep or shaft mines) Underground mining by inserting shafts/ making tunnels in to crust. Surface Mining or Open Mining(Open cast or strip mines) : Mining by digging on surface of the earth Stages in life cycle of a mine: - Youth – development stage - Maturity – establishment stage - Old age – declining ore reserve

surface mining < underground mining Metal mining <coal mining HAZARDS OF MINING I) Safety of workers surface mining < underground mining Metal mining <coal mining Underground mining hazards: Physical damages Long term occupational hazards are: dust produced – black lung or pneumoconiosis poisonous gases from incomplete dynamite explosions methane gases from coal strata radiation hazards from uranium mines II) Environmental Problems Depletion of available land due to mining Waste from mining and associated industries Pollution of land, water and air by mining and associated industries (some advantages-EX: dolomite mine in khammam limestone mine in tandur)

Conservation of minerals Use of minerals as raw materials should be restricted to essential materials only More efficient technologies in extraction as well as in their utilization to check wastage Minerals should be recycled as far as possible Designing smaller equipment Proper substitutes should be found Plastic ware for metal ware? Silver by other alloys in coins

Impact of Mining on Environment: Main source of environment degradation – Mining v/s jal, jangal, jameen Underground Mining- Destabilizing Earth’s Crust; Polluting the Aquifers; Pose hazardous conditions for worker’s health and safety. Open Mining- Deforestation, Loss of cultivable land, Pollution of land and water due waste generated. Non renewable resource – problem is of global nature Mine closure – degraded land – mine drainage (Relaying the land scientifically to near original form). Locations – thick forests – ecosystem.

Some Case studies: Sariska tiger reserve – Rajasthan – public interest litigation in 1991 by Rajendra Singh - 70 mines. Rajasamand Lake – Rajasthan – dried up in 2001-a decade of marble mining in Rajnagar area Aravalli Hills – Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat – lifeline – repositories – marble, talc and granite – Supreme Court banned – Nov. 2002 – appeal by State Govt. appeal to revoke – again March 2004 – a typical storey of development, environmental effects, industrial interests, confusion in the Government etc. Rajasthan alone 9700 units – connected with mining

Ok Tedi Island in New Guinea (Indonesia) – 1984 – 1000 cu. m of con Ok Tedi Island in New Guinea (Indonesia) – 1984 – 1000 cu.m of con. Cyanide – river – ecosystem devasted – lifestyle of native Wopkaimin people – from gold and copper project. Baia Mare gold mine in Romania – dam holding waste released 80ML – cyanide – Tisza river – flowed 500Km – Hungary and Serbia. The quantum of Impact!

Sustainable Efforts: Strictly following Safety norms for workers. Systematic waste management and complete waste decontamination & disposal, use and reuse of scraps. Effective methods of mining – every possible tonnage Recovering all associated elements as byproducts Economic use of minerals Utilization of unmarketable ores – innovative methods or ore dressing and metallurgical practices. Substituting the use of rare and costly minerals with those which are abundant & cheaper

Open book test on 6th Feb (Friday) Everyone should get text book (Quiz on 9th Feb) In 3rd week of Feb, after sessional –field trip time 3pm