Reclamation of Mines and Mine-spoils

K.D. Sharma

Head Technical and R & D

Greenfield Eco Solutions Pvt Ltd (GESPL)

www.greenfieldeco.com

Mid Career Training Program for IFS Officers, 2013

IGNFA, Dehradun

Mining Leases in India

• Total area under mining leases in India is about 1 million ha. Out of this about 0.4 million ha area is under coal mines.

• This does not include individual leases under 10 ha area each.

Area-wise Distribution of Mining Leases* (Indian Bureau of Mines, Nagpur, 2010)

Frequency group area (ha)

# of mining leases

% of leases Area (‘000 ha)

% of area

0-50 8682 83 84 16

50-100 890 8 66 13

100-200 436 4 60 12

200-500 281 3 86 17

500 199 2 211 42

All groups

10488 100 507 100

* Excluding fuel, atomic and minor minerals

Denudation of Forest Cover Uneven Topography

Depletion of Water Resources and Altered Water

Quality / Contamination

Deleterious Impacts on Human and Livestock Health

of Society

D(S)

Waste / Spoil Piles Air, Noise and Water Pollution

Well-being

Impact of Mines and Mine-spoils and Environmental Damages

Hypothesis of Reclamation Conducting post-mining soil and mine-spoil

inventories define the establishment of ecosystem stability. Understanding successful germ-plasm selection; characterizing physical and chemical properties of soil, mine-spoils and overburden; conserving and maximizing soil moisture storage through rainwater harvesting; and evaluating plant community sustainability are important.

Criteria for Evaluating Mine-land Reclamation

• Stabilization of surface materials through appropriate landscape reconstruction, and

• Establishment of long-term, sustainable vegetation communities.

• In general, a silvi-pastoral system is being designed for reclamation as it complements the needs of local population.

Reclamation, Rehabilitation,

Remediation and Restoration Projects on a TURN KEY BASIS

Consultancy

Planning

Observation

Development

Monitoring

Evaluation

Implementation and Execution

Advice and Guidance

What is Required?

Case Study 1: Reclamation of Lignite Mine-spoil

Location: Giral Village, Barmer, Rajasthan

Rainfall: 265 mm per year

Type of Mining: Opencast

Water Harvesting: MCWHS

Amendments: Fine Sand, Caliche and FYM

Plant Species: Indigenous, Naturalized and Exotic Leguminous and Indigenous Non-leguminous (15 species)

Coal/Lignite Mining (Giral,Rajasthan)

Before Reclamation After Reclamation

Case Study 2: Reclamation of Limestone Mine-spoil

Location: Gotan Village, Nagore, Rajasthan

Rainfall: 424 mm per year

Type of Mining: Opencast

Water Harvesting: BTRHS

Amendments: Bentonite, Fine Sand and FYM

Plant Species: Indigenous, Naturalized and Exotic Leguminous and Indigenous Non-leguminous (19 species)

Limestone Mine Spoil: After Reclamation

(JK White, Gotan, Rajasthan)

Case Study 3: Reclamation of Gypsum Mine-spoil

Location: Kavas Village, Barmer, Rajasthan

Rainfall: 265 mm per year

Type of Mining: Strip

Water Harvesting: MCWHS

Amendments: Fine Sand & FYM in Auger Holes

Plant Species: Indigenous, Naturalized and Exotic Leguminous and Indigenous Non-leguminous (23 species)

Gypsum Mine Spoil: After Reclamation

(FCI, Kavas, Rajasthan)

Micro-catchment Rainwater Harvesting System (MCWHS) for Backfills (A variant of MCRHS is Ridge-Furrow System)

Bench Terracing Rainwater Harvesting System (BTRHS) for OB Dumps (A variant of BTRHS is Half Moon Terracing)

Soil Moisture Storage (% volume)*

Mine-spoil With RWH Without RWH

Lignite/Coal 18.3 13.6

Limestone 6.1 4.6

Gypsum 6.4 4.0

* Monthly mean of 4 years (1997-2000)

Iron Ore Mining (Advalpal, Goa)

Before Reclamation After Reclamation

In situ Rainwater Harvesting

Jodhpur, Rajasthan Agolai, Jaisalmer

On-site Rainwater Harvesting

Raipur, Chhattisgarh Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh

Check Dam for Rainwater Conservation (NMDC Diamond Mine, Panna, Madhya Pradesh)

Development of Greenbelts – I (Beechwal, Bikaner)

Development of Greenbelts - II

At Industry (Solan, Himachal Pradesh) Along Canal (Suratgarh, Rajasthan)

The Company: GESPL

Greenfield Eco Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (GESPL)

incorporated under the Indian Companies Act

1956 (CIN: U74900RJ2012PTC039532), offers

One-Stop Solutions for reclamation of

degraded lands and restoration of damaged

environments associated with the core-infra

sectors of economy such as mining, power,

manufacturing, industrialization, urbanization

and infrastructure development.

Mission of GESPL

To restore the forest wealth, greenbelts

and vegetative covers, improve

environment and create a corpus fund

for the purpose thereof.

Vision of GESPL

To reconcile and balance the environmental concerns vis-a-vis economic and social development in a perpetual and sustainable manner as per the mandate of Article 21 of Indian Constitution, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill 2011, and State, National and International Sustainable Development Frameworks.

Capabilities and Expertise of GESPL- I

Developing landscape, forests, grasslands,

fodders, crops, greenbelts and vegetative

covers on degraded lands, which

complement the needs of local

communities and minimize the impacts of

global warming and climate change.

Continue…

Capabilities and Expertise of GESPL - II

Water conservation and Runoff

management; in situ, ex situ and on-site

rainwater harvesting; water auditing;

water use economy; supplemental/deficit

irrigation; CSR activities; and other

related issues.

Continue…

Capabilities and Expertise of GESPL-III

Selecting successful germplasms; characterizing

soil/over-burden and waste/spoils; restoring

land capability; landscaping and land shaping;

controlling soil erosion; profile development;

soil modifications; creating plant-rooting

medium; planting techniques; phyto-

stabilization and phyto-remediation of mine

tailings, OB dumps and backfills; and ensured

post-reclamation sustainability.

We are committed to delivering

guaranteed post-reclamation/remediation

sustainability employing cutting edge,

state-of-the-art green technology and post-

care maintenance of land, water and

environmental resources to enhance

customer satisfaction and provide

continued improvement of our products,

services, support and technology.

Quality Policy of GESPL

Please contact:

admin@greenfieldeco.com

Thank You!

For more information or assistance