MAGNESITE MINE IMPACT,

SALEM
INTROUCTION

• CHALK HILLS REGION,SALEM,TAMIL NADU HAS BEEN THE

PRODUCER OF MAGNESITE.
• IN THE COURSE OF OVER TWO DECADES,UP TO 17KM OF CHALK
HILLS OF SALEM DISTRICT HAVE BEEN MINED EXTENSIVELY AND
ILLEGALLY
• MINING OF THIS WHITE CARBONATE OF MAGNESIUM INVOLVES
EMPLOYEMENT OF MEN AND DEPLOYMENT OF HEAVY EARH
MOVING MACHINES.
• THE MINING ACTIVITY,COMPRISING,DRILLING,BLASTING,LOADING
OF WASTE,TRANSPORT OF OVER BURDEN AND CRUSHING OF ORE
IS HAVING IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT.
• MAGNESITE ,THE CHIEF RAW MATERIAL FOR BASIC REFACTORIES
,IS BEING MAINED FROM 3 LARGE AND OTHER SMALL MINES IN
SALEM.
USES

• MAGNESITE IS A CARBONATE OF MAGNESIUM

AND IS AN IMPORTANT MINERAL USED IN
THE REFRACTORIES FOR THE STEEL
INDUSTRY, IN FERTILISERS, PHARMA AND
FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES.
• DUNITE IS ANOTHER RARE MINERAL
.DUNITE IS USED IN THE IRON AND STEEL
INDUSTRY AND AS A REFRACTORY MATERIAL.
• IT IS ALSO USED IN PAINTS AND AS AN
ABRASIVE.
HISTORY

• THIS STORY BEGINS IN APRIL 1986 WHEN TAMIL NADU

MAGNESITE (TANMAG), A STATE GOVERNMENT
CONCERN UNDER THE GEOLOGY AND MINING
DEPARTMENT, HEADQUARTERED IN SALEM, WAS
GRANTED A 20-YEAR LEASE TO MINE MAGNESITE OVER
19.02 HECTARES IN THE VILLAGE. THE LEASE TO MINE
EXPIRED IN AUGUST 2006.
• THE EXPLOITED LAND BELONGS TO THE GOVERNMENT
OF TAMIL NADU — IT IS CLASSIFIED AS POROMBOKE
LAND.
 METHOD OF MINING

• A COMBINATION OF BOTH MANUAL AND

MECHANIZED MININIG METHOD IS IN USE .THIS IS
CALLED SEMI MECHANIZED METHOD.
• MINERALISED ZONE IS BLASTED AND BLAST HOLE
ARE DRILLED.
EFFECTS

• IT IS FOUND THAT THESE UNITS ARE NOT MAINTAINING ANY

RECORDS FOR STORAGE AND SALE OF MINERALS
• NEARLY 10,000 TO 15,000 TONNES OF DUNITE AND 2,000
TO 3,000 TONNES OF MAGNESITE PER MONTH WERE
CONSUMED IN THE GRINDING UNIT
• THE REPORT STATES THAT NINE PERSONS HAVE DIED IN
THE ILLEGAL MINING PITS IN THE CHALK HILLS.
• MINING METHODS THEMSELVES ARE DANGEROUS:
BLASTING NEAR HIGH-TENSION LINES, CLOSE TO
INHABITED AREAS AND LABOURERS WORKING WITHOUT
ANY PROTECTIVE GEAR.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

DUST POLLUTION
• DUE TO DRILLING,BLASTING,LOADING OF ORE,CRUSHING AND
SCREENING AND NOXIOUS GASES ARE GENERATED BY
BLASTING.LEAD TO PRODUCTION OF DUST IN ATMOSPHERE.
• SILICOSIS.ASBETOSIS,BLACK LUNG DISEASE ARE CAUSED BY
DUSTS MAINLY COMPOSED OF SILICA,ASBESTOS AND COAL.
• DUST CAN EFFECT WITH FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES ALSO.
• AGRICULTURAL CROPS CULTIVATED NEAR MINING SITES ALSO
ARE AFFECTED.
NOISE POLLUTION
• NOISE EMITTED BY MACHINES IN A MINE DURING
DRILLING,BLASTING,CRUSHING .
• ADVERSE EFFECT ARE AUDITORY AND NON AUDITORY ON THE
HEALTH OF THE MINE WORKER.THE OPERATING SYSTEM ON MINE,
AND PHYSICAL OBJECT.
EFFECTS OF VIBERATION

• VIBERATION DUE TO MINING OPERATION IS FROM MECHANISED

MINE,BLASTING OF ROCK.
• THIS MAY LEAD TO NERVOUS AND CIRCULATORY DAMAGEG.
• GROUND VIBERATION RESULT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE LIKE
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ,SCHOOL,ETC.
OTHER EFFECTS
• WATER CONTAMINATED.
• DEGRADATION OF SOL QUALITY.
• EFFECT OF NATURAL VEGETATION.
• DEFORESTATION.
• EFFECT ECOSYSTEM.
• WASTAGE OF LAND.