Conservation and utilisation of mineral resources

Mineral resources or minerals are the non–renewable natural resources mainly used for manufacturing, construction or energy generation. It is crucial to ensure mineral use is kept to a minimum amount for sustainable mineral development without negatively impacting economic growth. A society can achieve sustainable mineral development by using minerals efficiently, recycling them and using alternative materials.

Protecting the natural environment from damage caused by mineral and power resource extraction should be prioritised. Such practice helps maintain biodiversity and ensure that it remains free from contamination for future generations. Some of the negative impacts of mineral extraction are environmental damages, mineral slug pileups, and water pollution caused by contamination due to heavy metals.

Types of mineral and power resources

Geological resources: These resources are classified based on the distribution of elements in the earth’s crust, classification of deposits, etc. This classification indicates the physical existence as an objective state regardless of whether or not these mineral and power resources can be extracted or not. 

Environmental resources: These are introduced with non-specific terms such as global resources, making them a relatively subjective concept of resources. For example, when bringing up water resources, the quantity of water in one area can differ depending on the observer’s perspective and the water resource of interest at the time. There is uncertainty and vagaries in the scientific discussion amid several important elementary concepts. 

Economic (minable) resources: These are useful materials or mineral resources extracted economically with the help of existing techniques and technologies. Due to the economic and technological feasibility of extraction of mineral resources, the quantity of these resources will depend on variations in economic and technological conditions. 

Mineral resource management in India

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act was implemented in 1957, as amended in 2015, for promoting the mining sector and utilising mineral resources in India. The amendments in the MMDR Act, 1957 will give motivation to the industry by:

1. eradicating restraining in the entitlement of mineral concessions, as mineral concessions will now be generated accorded through auction by competitive bidding;
2. granting permission to open mines that were closed off due to pendency of decision on operations for alternate or posterior revival through the extension of validity of lease time of the existing leases;
3. furnishing security of term of mining lease time with a steady lease time of fifty years;
4. simplification of methodology, and disposal of delay by eliminating demand of previous approval of Central Government for entitlement of mining lease through auction;
5. establishment of National Mineral Exploration Trust, a devoted fund to encourage delving to augment mineral resources;
6. allowing effortless transferability of mineral concessions awarded through auction. This would facilitate investments into the mining resource and development sector.
7. District Mineral Foundation installed and assigned to look after the interest and benefit of the people and areas affected by the mining and related operations.

The Union Government empowered the States in respect of 31 minerals in 2015. The Union government did this to regulate the grant of mineral concessions and such purposes.

Import and export policies

The import policy of the Government of India concerning minerals, metals, alloys and ores is restraining because of foreign exchange complications. Minerals, metals, ores and alloys of certain specific qualities, unavailable in the country in adequate quantities, are permitted to be imported as these are crucial for several industries. 

Similarly, the export policy has also been restraining and permitting the export of only those minerals, metals, alloys and ores available in the country in surplus quantity after meeting indigenous demands. These policies are revised often.

Exports or imports of minerals, metals, alloys and ores are guided and applicable to the whole of India according to the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1947. This act is extended and amended often by the Union Government.

The Union Government looks after the exports and imports of minerals, metals, alloys and ores etc., via Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation Limited. This is implemented by collaborating with the Port Trust of India, the Indian Railways, and private and public sector mining firms. 

The exploration activities, in general, have been taken up by the Geological Survey of India, the different Directorates of Mining and Geology in various States and the Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited. 

Before independence, foreign capital mainly controlled India’s mineral exploitation and the bulk of the minerals were exported for international industry and trade. 

The Government of India brought an end to this self-destructive policy of bulk export of minerals by implementing the National Mineral Policy in 1947. Subsequently, the first Industrial Policy Resolution (1948) was replaced by the second Industrial Policy Resolution (1956). 

Conclusion

To conserve and utilise mineral resources and recycle new minerals while minimising contamination and other environmental effects, regulations and advantageous engineering exercises are essential to guarantee adequate mine retrieval, pollution diminishment, acid mine drainage, etc. The arising field of biotechnology may give some sustainable results to metal extraction. The government must enforce sustainable mining practices to conserve the country’s mineral resources and solve their disposition from the mining and factory sites in an effective way at the same time.