Page 21 - Insurance Times September 2021

covered in the Major minerals. The Central government has 7% in the coming years with the growing demand from
the power to regulate, make laws and policy regarding the other sectors.
Major minerals in the country.
Let us now discuss in brief about few mining types:
The Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, Y Surface Mining: When the top layer of gravel and sand
1957 (MMDR Act) is the federal law for overall regulation is then and the miner or the deposits of ore are found
of the sector. near the surface. This method is broadly used and is
predominant in Indian mining industry. It uses heavy
The Mines Act 1952 - for health and safety in the mines and equipment to extract the minerals.
its operations. This type of mining is sometimes controversial as it is
done closer to the surface of the land, it is said that it
Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act leaves behind a large chunk of that land fallow and
2002 - Regulates offshore mineral resources. unsuitable for cultivation.

Y In-Pit Crushing and Conveying: It is also done closer
Mining Regulatory bodies in India: to the surface but for the harder minerals that are
Y Geological Survey of India difficult to be transported as a single ore. Therefore,
Y Indian Bureau of Mines the ore is crushed in the mine itself and are then
transported using the conveyor belt. It is a gradual
Y Controller of Mining Leases
method as the mine goes deeper and does not require
Y Directorate General of Mines Safety any form of tunnelling. It can be as deep as 1000
meters. This technique works well in the horizontal
Types of Mining and Methods: movement of mine face and becomes difficult when the
mine face goes vertical. It is not even affected much
Mining is the core sector that is essential for the Indian
by the bad weather.
economy as it almost contributes about 2 - 2.5 percent of
country's GDP and also is important for the growth of other Once the mining is complete the pit is covered or filled
industries like iron and steel, power, cement etc. It is known with sand and clay. The land can take hundreds or
to all that there are primarily two types of mining: Surface/ thousands years to recover naturally as during the
Opencast and Underground mining. The option to choose process the soil underneath became acidic. It can be
the type explicitly depends on the depth, geology, used for recreational or rehabilitation purposes till it can
topography, mineral and the cost of labour and mechanisms. be made available for environmental purposes.
Y Underground Mining: This method of mining is used
In India, the surface mining is more prevalent as it has low when the demand for the minerals increase and the
cost of equipment and technology. For Underground mining open cast mining cannot suffice the demand raised. As
India is not yet technologically advanced and cannot deploy the minerals in the deeper part of the earth are of rich
such heavy machinery without any experience. To get the quality and the output is more. It includes networks of
maximum benefit out of the process, it is very important to shafts and tunnels that are dug deep inside the earth's
choose the type of mining very wisely as the cost and crust to reach exact site of the deposit ore. This process
production will depend largely on it. Though much of India's is very expensive and tiring in nature but the waste rock
mineral resources are yet to be fully explored. Government created is low and hence it is preferred. The percentage
with its public sectors companies stays the largest or ore recovered depends on safety considerations. The
production and participation unit in the sector. deeper we dig, the less safe the mining becomes. Major
issue is of ventilation and oxygen toxicity.

With growth in the sector of infrastructure and automobiles, Y In-Situ Mining: Or solution mining. This process is rarely
there would be rise in the demand of power and steel which used in mining material as it is quite complex as a
in turn boost the investment and the technology in the process. A solution is pumped into the ore body,
mining sector. Currently, very small geographical area dissolving the ore and the dissolved ore is then
(0.14% approx.) is under mining lease and 20% of it is actually extracted by the second pump. Mostly in Uranium
mined. But, it is estimated that the sector would grow by mining this method is used.

The Insurance Times, September 2021 21