SUSTAINABLE MINING – CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

The contribution of mining industry in the economic development of a country isvital. It boosts the economy, provides material to build infrastructures, increasesemployment and provide goods required for daily use. Despite being fundamental fora country’s growth, mining industry has always faced the flak of environmentalists andconservationists for having failed to take preventive and corrective measures toremedy the damage caused to the environment due to the mining activity. Theenvironmental risks posed by the mining activity are catastrophic and there is anexigency to attain a rational balance between the mining activity and environmentwith an ultimate aim to achieve sustainable development. The mining activity disruptsthe entire ecosystem and is a threat to biodiversity. To envisage and analyze theenvironmental impacts of a proposed mining project, Environment ImpactAssessment is inevitable. This paper throws light on the various techniques by whichmining is carried out, the importance of Sustainable Mining and EnvironmentalImpact Assessment, the process followed to prepare the assessment report and therole which it plays in environmental protection. The paper also highlights thesignificant role rehabilitation and reclamation techniques play in potentially improvingthe damage caused due to the mining activity and some of the effective reclamationprocesses that can be employed to restore the abandoned mine sites and regulate theongoing mining operations.