B.

Tech (Environmental
Studies)

Mineral Resources
Unit 2
Natural Resources
 Contents
Introduction to Mineral resources

Classification of minerals

Uses and exploitation of mineral resources

Major reserves and important uses of

some of the major metals

Major Minerals of India

Environmental impacts of mineral extraction and use

Major mines causing severe Environmental
problems
Impacts of mining
Remedial measures
 Introduction
Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic,
crystalline solids having a definite chemical
composition and characteristic physical
properties. Critical minerals: are
essential for the economy
of a nation
e.g. iron, aluminium,
copper, gold etc.

Strategic minerals: required

for the defence of a country
e.g. Uranium, Manganese,
cobalt, platinum, chromium
Vanadium, tungsten,
molybdenum, cobalt
etc.
 Uses and exploitation
The main uses of minerals are as follows:
(i) Development of industrial plants and machinery.
(ii) Energy Source: coal, lignite, uranium.
(iii) Construction, housing, settlements.: Iron,
(iv) Defence equipments-weapons, armaments.
(v) Transportation means.; Rail, Vehicle
(vi) Communication- telephone wires, cables, electronic
devices.
(vii) Medicinal system- Ayurvedic/Allopathic System: Ag, Au,Zn
(viii) Formation of alloys for various purposes (e.g., Bronze,
Brass).
(ix) Agriculture: fertilizers, seed dressings and fungicides (e.g.
zineb containing zinc, Maneb-containing manganese etc.).
(x) Jewellery: Gold, silver, platinum, diamond.
Major uses of some non-metalic minerals

Maximum quantity used: Iron and steel (740 million

metric tons annually)
 followed by manganese, copper, chromium,
aluminium and Nickel.
Major reserves and important uses metals
 Major world
reserves of most
of the metallic
minerals are:
 USSR, USA,
Canada, South
Africa and
Australia
 Japan virtually no
metal reserves
 Major Minerals of India
 (a) Energy generating minerals: Coal and lignite: West Bengal,

Jharkhand, Orissa, M.P., A.P.

 Uranium (Pitchblende or Uranite ore): Jharkhand, Andhra

Pradesh (Nellore, Nalgonda), Meghalaya, Rajasthan (Ajmer).

 (b) Other commercially used minerals Aluminium (Bauxite ore):

Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, M.P., Tamilnadu.

 Iron (haematite and magnetite ore): Jharkhand, Orissa, M.P., A.P.,

Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa.

 Copper (Copper Pyrites): Rajasthan (Khetri), Bihar, Jharkhand,

Karnataka, M.P., West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarnchal.

a is the producer of 84 minerals the annual value of which is about Rs. 50,000 c
State wise share of minerals Production
in India
roduction of major metallic minerals in India

Mineral Reserves in Odisha

Odisha is the hub of minerals

resource in India
Major mines causing severe Environmental
problems
i) Jaduguda Uranium Mine: , Jharkhand.exposing local people
to radioactive hazards.
(ii) Jharia coal mines: Jharkhand.underground fire leading to
land subsidence and forced displacement of people.
(iii) Sukinda chromite mines, Orissa. seeping of hexavalent
chromium into river posing serious health hazard, Cr6+ being
highly toxic and carcinogenic.
(iv) Kudremukh iron ore mine, Karnataka.causing river
pollution and threat to biodiversity.
(v) East coast Bauxite mine, Orissa.Land encroachment and
issue of rehabilitation unsettled.
(vi) North-Eastern Coal Fields: Assam.Very high sulphur
contamination of groundwater.
 Impacts of mining:
 (i) Devegetation and defacing of landscape: The topsoil as
well as the vegetation are removed deforestation leads to
several ecological losses, increase the landscape.
prone to soil erosion.
 (ii) Subsidence of land: Mainly associated with
underground mining.
results in tilting of buildings,
cracks in houses,
buckling of roads, sudden change in structure
bending of rail tracks and
leaking of gas from cracked pipelines leading to serious
disasters.
 (iii) Groundwater contamination: pollutes the groundwater
 Sulphur containing ore converted into sulphuric acid
through microbial action, thereby making the water acidic
 Impacts of mining:
(iv) Surface water pollution: The acid mine
drainage often contaminates the nearby streams
and lakes.
Sometimes uranium, Cr, Pb, Cd, As contamination
by mine wastes kill aquatic animals and creating
human health hazards.
(v) Air pollution: Ore, smelting emits air
pollutants damaging the vegetation and serious
environmental damage and human health hazard .
The suspended particulate matter (SPM),
SOx, soot, arsenic particles,
cadmium, lead etc.
 Occupational Health Hazards
Most of the mining worker suffer
Respiratory and skin diseases due to constant exposure to
the suspended particulate matter and toxic substances.
Suffer by Asbestosis, silicosis, black lung disease etc.
Statistical data: , on an average, there are 30 non-fatal
but disabling accidents per every ton of mineral
produced
 one death per 2.5 tons of mineral produced.
Remedial measures:
i) Adopt eco-friendly mining technology: Microbial-leaching
technique
Thiobacillus ferroxidans used for extracting gold
embedded in iron sulphide ore
it remove sulphur from ore
 Remedial measures
ii) Restoration of mined areas by re-
vegetating: them with appropriate plant
species, stabilization of the mined lands,
gradual restoration of flora,
iii) prevention of toxic drainage discharge
and need suitable treatment.
iv) Controlling the standards of air emissions
are essential for minimizing environmental
impacts of mining.
Thank You
All