As essential industries in
today’s environmentally aware society, it is vital that quarrying, mining and
dredging operations ensure that they achieve the best possible environmental
management of their activities. Poor environmental management within the
industry results not only in non-compliance of legislation, which includes
heavy fines, but also in poor public relations, loss of business, and loss and
destruction of wildlife and habitats. Good environmental management in the
industry can result in good publicity and public relations, increase in
business, and the creation of habitats for a variety species, including
endangered species and specialist habitats.
Understanding the essential role
of the extractive industry and its contribution to society is an important part
of the education process. It is equally important to recognize and increase
understanding of the industries environmental impacts, both negative and positive,
and understand management techniques to both mitigate in the former and enhance
in the latter.
Mining involves bunch of activities
which affects the natural balance like removal of top and subsoil for access to
resources underneath, the mechanical handling of minerals and so on. Given are
some of the activities and their impacts on environment.
Removal of top soil for accessing
natural resources
The
most potential impact of removal of top and sub soil is loss of organic rich
soil and the forms of life it contains. Land without top and sub-soil is less
capable of sustaining life and barren land after quarry operations have ceased
if the land is not restored with soil.
Permission for extraction sites
usually require the strategy for the movement of soils to be drawn up before
permission is granted during the planning process, unless restoration is to
commercial or domestic development. The need for progressive restoration is
usually stressed in planning conditions. Soil can also be stored for use in the
sites restoration by preventing it from contamination by weeds, seeds, etc.
The
mechanical handling of minerals
Most
probable impact of mineral handling is dust emission. The emitted dust gets deposited
in nearby surrounding which becomes a hazard for the health of living beings in
that area. Ecological impacts like Physical effects of stomata damage and
blockage, resulting in drought stress and Chemical effects of dust either
directly on the plant surface or on the soil health cannot be undermined.
These
impacts can be minimised certainly by preventing the dust becoming airborne. It
can either be achieved through legislation or/and good practices. Active
monitoring devices for occupational health and safety methods, and passive
monitoring devices for a broader approach, including for nuisance effects can
be effective. An Environmental Management System (EMS) can be encouraged for the
effective ongoing assessment of impacts, such as the Eco-Management. Dust assessment survey can be used to
effectively reduce the dust emission. More of the protection measures like placing dust generating activities where maximum protection can be
obtained from topography, woodland or other features; locating dust generating
activities where prevailing winds will blow dust away from residential
properties/sensitive premises/ users; minimising the need to transport and
handle materials by placing adequate storage facilities close to processing
areas can also be considered.
Removal
of a wild area for site operations
It may result into loss of
species and habitat if area is not restored for wildlife. The alteration to
existing habitat (e.g. creation of soil storage mounds, creation of barriers,
fragmentation of habitats, changes in numbers to predator/prey, introduction of
new habitats/species) and The removal of wildlife and habitats in the
surrounding area (due to loss/reduction of species bank, removal of keystone
species) may lead to detrimental effects.
Legislative side to protect
wildlife form the negative impacts of mining activities consists of bunch of
acts like Wildlife protection act, 1972; Indian Forest Act, 1927; National Biodiversity
rule, 2002, etc. Ecological Impact assessments (EIA) are
required as part of the planning process, which has many purposes like demonstrating
that a proposed development, will meet the legal requirement relating to
species and to determine the
significance of impacts affecting valued species and habitats. It can also be
worked out by Identifying and designing measures to mitigate and compensate for
negative impacts, and also measures to achieve positive enhancement for example
alternative Sites can be considered wherever
possible to avoid any impacts in the first place, Habitat creation is possible
both during site restoration and during the operational period of the site,
providing opportunities for the enhancement of wildlife and habitats.
The
production of mineral waste
It has a visual impact
especially when waste is dumped off site and piled high. Large overburden
dumps, and if allowed to dry out, silt from settling ponds, can be a source of
dust. Runoff from wastes can carry sediment that can potentially contaminate
the water environment and cause erosion.
It
is important to recognise that operators are always keen to minimise the amount
of mineral waste they produce as material that is dug and not used is wasting
time and money. There are many laws like Environmental protection act, 1986;
EIA notification, 2006; Water
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; MCDR 1988, etc to deal with the negative impacts of
pollution caused by mineral waste produced through mining activities. Good practice
like reducing waste through proper planning by mining authorities, proper
restoration of top and sub soil for future use, keeping waste out of sight
within workings, ensuring that contamination is encased, can help reduce the
impacts to a great extent.
Change
in/removal of land use
Change in land use for
mining activities may lead to anaesthetic surrounding, visual problems,
conflicts with existing land use, and bad relations with surrounding
communities.. The mining authorities
should follow guidelines by the government in the form of national and
regional guides and strategies. Government policy should require greater
consultation and involvement with the community during planning. Permission should be refused for site
development where adverse effects on the local community, environmental damage
or loss of amenity cannot be kept to an acceptable minimum.
