Mining in India

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The Darya-i-Noor diamond from the Iranian Crown Jewels, originally from the mines of Golconda, Andhra Pradesh.

The Mining industry in India is a major economic activity which contributes significantly to the economy of India. The GDP contribution of the mining industry varies from 2.2% to 2/5% only but going by the GDP of the total industrial sector it contributes around 10% to 11%. Even mining done on small scale contributes 6% to the entire cost of mineral production. Indian Mining Industry provides job opportunities to around 0.7 million individuals.[1]

Contents

[edit] Overview

The tradition of mining in the region is ancient and underwent modernization alongside the rest of the world as India gained independence in 1947.[2] The economic reforms of 1991 and the 1993 National Mining Policy further helped the growth of the mining sector.[2] India's minerals range from both metallic and non-metallic types.[3] The metallic minerals comprise ferrous and non-ferrous minerals while the non metallic minerals comprise mineral fuels, precious stones, among others.[3]

D.R. Khullar holds that mining in India depends on over 3100 mines, out of which over 550 are fuel mines, over 560 are mines for metals, and over 1970 are mines for extraction of nonmetals.[2] The figure given by S.N. Padhi is: 'about 600 coal mines, 35 oil projects and 6000 metalliferous mines of different sizes employing over one million persons on a daily average basis.'[4] Both open cast mining and underground mining operations are carried out and drilling/pumping is undertaken for extracting liquid or gaseous fuels.[2] The country produces and works with roughly 100 minerals, which are an important source for earning foreign exchange as well as satisfying domestic needs.[2] India also exports iron ore, titanium, manganese, bauxite, granite, and imports cobalt, mercury, graphite etc.[2]

Unless controlled by other departments of the Government of India mineral resources of the country are surveyed by the Indian Ministry of Mines, which also regulates the manner in which these resources are used.[5] The ministry oversees the various aspects of industrial mining in the country.[5] Both the Geological Survey of India and the Indian Bureau of Mines are also controlled by the ministry.[5] Natural gas, petroleum and atomic minerals are exempt from the various activities of the Indian Ministry of Mines.[5]

[edit] History

Indian coal production is the 3rd highest in the world according to the 2008 Indian Ministry of Mines estimates.[6] Shown above is a coal mine in Jharkhand.

Flint was known and exploited by the inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilization by the 3rd millennium BCE.[7] P. Biagi and M. Cremaschi of Milan University discovered a number of Harappan quarries in archaeological excavations dating between 1985-1986.[8] Biagi (2008) describes the quarries: 'From the surface the quarries consisted of almost circular empty areas, representing the quarry–pits, filled with aeolian sand, blown from the Thar Desert dunes, and heaps of limestone block, deriving from the prehistoric mining activity. All around these structures flint workshops were noticed, represented by scatters of flint flakes and blades among which were typical Harappan-elongated blade cores and characteristic bullet cores with very narrow bladelet detachments.'[9] Between 1995 and 1998, Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating dating of Zyzyphus cf. nummularia charcoal found in the quarries has yielded evidence that the activity continued into 1870-1800 BCE.[10]

Minerals subsequently found mention in Indian literature. George Robert Rapp—on the subject of minerals mentioned in India's literature—holds that:

Sanskrit texts mention the use of bitumen, rock salt, yellow orpiment, chalk, alum, bismuth, calamine, realgar, stibnite, saltpeter, cinnabar, arsenic, sulphur, yellow and red ochre, black sand, and red clay in prescriptions. Among the metals used were gold, silver, copper, mercury, iron, iron ores, pyrite, tin, and brass. Mercury appeared to have been the most frequently used, and is called by several names in the texts. No source for mercury or its ores has been located. leading to the suggestion that it may have been imported.[11]

[edit] Geographical distribution

The distribution of minerals in the country is uneven and mineral density varies from region to region.[2] D.R. Khullar identifies five mineral 'belts' in the country: The North Eastern Peninsular Belt, Central Belt, Southern Belt, South Western Belt, and the North Western Belt. The details of the various geographical 'belts' are given in the table below:[12]

Mineral Belt Location Minerals found
North Eastern Peninsular Belt Chota Nagpur plateau and the Orissa plateau covering the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa. Coal, iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, copper, kyanite, chromite, beryl, apatite etc. Khullar calls this region the mineral heartland of India and further cites studies to state that: 'this region possesses India's 100 percent Kyanite, 93 percent iron ore, 84 percent coal, 70 percent chromite, 70 percent mica, 50 percent fire clay, 45 percent asbestos, 45 percent china clay, 20 percent limestone and 10 percent manganese.'
Central Belt Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra. Manganese, bauxite, uranium, limestone, marble, coal, gems, mica, graphite etc. exist in large quantities and the net extent of the minerals of the region is yet to be assessed. This is the second largest belt of minerals in the country.
Southern Belt Karnataka plateau and Tamil Nadu. Ferrous minerals and bauxite. Low diversity.
South Western Belt Karnataka and Goa. Iron ore, garnet and clay.
North Western Belt Rajasthan and Gujarat along the Aravali Range. Non-ferrous minerals, uranium, mica, beryllium, aquamarine, petroleum, gypsum and emerald.

India has yet to fully explore the mineral wealth within its marine territory, mountain ranges, and a few states e.g. Assam.[12]

[edit] Minerals

The distribution of minerals in India according to the United States Geological Survey.

Along with 48.83% arable land, India has significant sources of coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, and limestone.[13] According to the 2008 Ministry of Mines estimates: 'India has stepped up its production to reach the second rank among the chromite producers of the world. Besides, India ranks 3rd in production of coal & lignite, 2nd in barites, 4th in iron ore, 5th in bauxite and crude steel, 7th in manganese ore and 8th in aluminium.'[6]

India accounts for 12% of the world's known and economically available thorium.[14] It is the world's largest producer and exporter of mica, accounting for almost 60 percent of the net mica production in the world, which it exports to the United Kingdom, Japan, United States of America etc.[15] As one of the largest producers and exporters of iron ore in the world, its majority exports go to Japan, Korea, Europe and the Middle East.[16] Japan accounts for nearly 3/4 of India's total iron ore exports.[16] It also has one of the largest deposits of manganese in the world, and is a leading producer as well as exporter of manganese ore, which it exports to Japan, Europe (Sweden, Belgium, Norway, among other countries), and to a lesser extent, the United States of America.[17]

[edit] Production

The net production of selected minerals in 2005-06 as per the Production of Selected Minerals Ministry of Mines, Government of India is given in the table below:

[edit] Exports

Mine shaft at Kolar Gold Fields.

The net exports selected of minerals in 2004-05 as per the Exports of Ores and Minerals Ministry of Mines, Government of India is given in the table below:

Mineral Quantity Unit Mineral type
Coal 403 Million tonnes Fuel
Lignite 29 Million tonnes Fuel
Natural Gas 31,007 Million cubic metres Fuel
Crude Petroleum 32 Million tonnes Fuel
Bauxite 11,278 Thousand tonnes Metallic Mineral
Copper 125 Thousand tonnes Metallic Mineral
Gold 3,048 Thousand grammes Metallic Mineral
Iron Ore 140,131 Thousand tonnes Metallic Mineral
Lead 93 Thousand tonnes Metallic Mineral
Manganese Ore 1,963 Thousand tonnes Metallic Mineral
Zinc 862 Thousand tonnes Metallic Mineral
Diamond 60,155 Carats Non Metallic Mineral
Gypsum 3,651 Thousand tonnes Non Metallic Mineral
Limestone 170 Thousand tonnes Non Metallic Mineral
Phosphorite 1,383 Thousand tonnes Non Metallic Mineral
Mineral Quantity exported in 2004-05 Unit
Alumina 896,518 tonnes
Bauxite 1,131,472 tonnes
Coal 1,374 tonnes
Copper 18,990 tonnes
Gypsum & plaster 103,003 tonnes
Iron ore 83,165 tonnes
Lead 81,157 tonnes
Limestone 343,814 tonnes
Manganese ore 317,787 tonnes
Marble 234,455 tonnes
Mica 97,842 tonnes
Natural gas 29,523 tonnes
Sulphur 2,465 tonnes
Zinc 180,704 tonnes

[edit] Issues with Minings

One of the most challenging issues in India's mining sector is the lack of assessment of India's natural resources.[12] A number of areas remain unexplored and the mineral resources in these areas are yet to be assessed.[12] The distribution of minerals in the areas known is uneven and varies drastically from one region to another.[2] India is also looking to follow the example set by England, Japan and Italy to recycle and use scrap iron for ferrous industry.[18]

Under the British Raj a committee of experts formed in 1894 formulated regulations for mining safety and ensured regulated mining in India.[4] The committee also passed the 1st Mines act of 1901 which led to a substantial drop in mining related accidents.[4] The accidents in mining are caused both by man-made and natural phenomenon, for example explosions and flooding.[19] The main causes for incidents resulting in serious injury or death are roof fall, vehicular accidents, falling/slipping and hauling related incidents.[20]

In recent decades, mining industry has been facing issues of large scale displacements, resistance of locals, environmental issues like pollution, corruption, deforestation, dangers to animal habitats.[21][22][23][24][25]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ "MINERAL AND MINING INDUSTRY IN INDIA January, 2010". http://www.cci.in/pdf/surveys_reports/mineral-mining-industry.pdf. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Khullar, 631
  3. ^ a b Khullar, 632-633
  4. ^ a b c Padhi, 1019
  5. ^ a b c d Annual Report (2007-2008), Ministry of Mines, chapter 4, page 4
  6. ^ a b India's Contribution to the World's mineral Production (2008), Ministry of Mines, Government of India. National Informatics Centre.
  7. ^ Biagi, page 1856
  8. ^ Biagi, 1857
  9. ^ Biagi, 1858
  10. ^ Biagi, 1860
  11. ^ Rapp, 11
  12. ^ a b c d Khullar, 632
  13. ^ "CIA Factbook: India". CIA Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html. 
  14. ^ "Information and Issue Briefs - Thorium". World Nuclear Association. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf62.htm. 
  15. ^ Khullar, 650-651
  16. ^ a b Khullar, 638
  17. ^ Khullar, 638-640
  18. ^ Khullar, 659
  19. ^ Padhi, 1020
  20. ^ Padhi, 1021
  21. ^ http://www.freewebs.com/epgorissa/
  22. ^ http://www.indiawaterportal.org/post/9431
  23. ^ http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/goas-mining-problems
  24. ^ http://sp.lyellcollection.org/cgi/content/abstract/250/1/141
  25. ^ http://www.indiatogether.org/environment/mining.htm

[edit] Bibliography

  • Annual Report (2007-2008), Ministry of Mines, Government of India, National Informatics Centre.
  • Biagi, Paolo (2008), "Quarries in Harappa", Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures (2nd edition) edited by Helaine Selin, pp. 1856–1863, Springer, ISBN 978-1-4020-4559-2.
  • Padhi, S.N. (2003), "Mines Safety in India-Control of Accidents and Disasters in 21st Century", Mining in the 21st Century: Quo Vadis? edited by A.K. Ghose etc., Taylor & Francis, ISBN 90-5809-274-7.
  • Rapp, George Robert (2002), Archaeomineralogy, Springer, ISBN 3-540-42579-9.
  • Khullar, D.R. (2006), "Mineral Resources", India: A Comprehensive Geography, pp. 630–659, Kalyani Publishers, ISBN 81-272-2636-X.
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