An overview of impacts of mining on environment. There is nothing special about uranium mining because extra care is taken for uranium mining than other minerals.

1. Presented By:
JUNAID AHMADJUNAID AHMAD
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2. INTRODUCTION
 What is Environment?
Environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring
naturally on Earth or some region thereof.
 In most respect the environmental aspects of uranium
mine are the same as those of other metalliferous mining.
 Radioactivity associated with the uranium ore requires some
special management in addition to the general environmental
controls of any mine.
 For any mining activity foremost thing is environmental
approval.
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3. Environmental ClearanceEnvironmental Clearance
 An application EIA & EM report to the Secretary, Ministry of Environment
and Forest (MoEF).
 MoEF will convey a decision related to suitability of the site within a
maximum period of 30 days.
 The Environmental Impact Assessment Report submitted with the
application shall be evaluated an assessed by the Impact Assessment
Agency (IAA).
 Summary of the reports, the recommendation and the conditions, subject
to which EC is given shall be made public.
 Public hearing shall be arranged after giving 30 days of notice of such
hearing in at least two newspaper.
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4. Environmental ClearanceEnvironmental Clearance
• The assessment shall be completed within period of 90 days from receipt
of the requisite documents and completion of public hearing, and
decision conveyed within 30 days thereafter.
• The clearance granted shall be valid for 5 years for the commencement of
the construction or operation.
• To monitor the implementation of the recommendations and conditions
the mining authorities shall submit a half-yearly report to the IAA.
• If no comments from IAA are received within the time limit, then it means
project have been approved.
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5. After approval …..
• Open pits or shaft and derive are dug.
• Waste rock and overburden is dumped.
• Tailings from the ore processing must be placed in engineered
dams.
• Finally the whole site must be rehabilitated at the end of the
project.
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6. Radiation Hazard in Uranium Mining
Radiation Hazard
External Internal
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Long-lived
alpha emitter
Radon& its
daughter
Beta & Gamma
radiations

7. Radiation Hazard in Uranium Mining
• Radon and its daughters in mine atmosphere are associated with
airborne dust.
• The primary airborne radionuclides are 222
Rn and its short-lived
daughters 218
Po, 214
Pb, 214
Bi and 214
Po .
• The long-lived, alpha emitting nuclides 238
U, 234
U,230
Th, 226
Ra and 210
Po
are significant.
• Mining operations consisting of drilling, blasting, crushing etc.
produce airborne dust containing these long-lived nuclides.
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8. Radiation Hazard in Uranium Mining
• Uranium miners are exposed to external beta and gamma
radiations emitted from the ore bodies.
• However, only the gamma radiation is of significance in
considering the risk of external exposure.
• The gamma radiation can be expected to be higher, when the
ore is stockpiled.
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9. Waste from Mining & Milling
• The tailings pond, which stores the mill tailings is also a
potential source of radiation to the environment.
• Process water discharged from the mill contains traces of
radium and some other metals which would be undesirable in
biological systems downstream.
• Apart from tailings, other solid waste at amine include
equipments which is not able to be sold at the conclusion of
the operation. This is usually buried with tailings.
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10. Impact of MiningImpact of Mining
 Physical Impacts
 Chemical Impacts
 Biological Impacts
 Socio-economic Impacts
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11. Physical ImpactsPhysical Impacts
• Noise
• Dust
• Land use aspects
– Direct (excavations, overburden disposal, plant,
tailings dams etc.)
– Indirect (transport links, energy / water supply,
townships etc.)
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12. Physical ImpactsPhysical Impacts
Banduhurang Mine, UCIL, UCIL
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13. Chemical ImpactsChemical Impacts
• Effects on surface water and groundwater
• Effects of chemicals used in processing
• Acid mine drainage
• Impacts of smelting
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14. Chemical ImpactsChemical Impacts
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15. Biological ImpactBiological Impact
• Ecological aspects
• Impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems
• Environmental (human) health aspects
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16. Socioeconomic ImpactsSocioeconomic Impacts
• Economic development
• Employment
• Education and skills development
• Cultural impacts
• Migration etc.
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17. Socioeconomic ImpactsSocioeconomic Impacts
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18. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
 Uranium Corporation Of India Limited IUCIL), adopts environmental
management system in all its areas and is committed to:
• Manage air, water & noise pollution in its surface operations and air and
noise pollution in its underground Mines.
• Compliance with applicable environmental laws & other requirements
concerned with all its operations.
• Conservations of natural resources.
• Monitor the health of all its employees and to ensure the preventive &
betterment measures.
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19. References
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• Sarangi,A.K., & Kundu,A.C., Safety and Environmental Surveillance
Measures in Mining and Processing of uranium ore at Uranium
Corporation of India Ltd.
• Best Practice in Environmental Management of Uranium Mining, IAEA
Nuclear Energy Series No. NF-T-1.2
• www.ucil.gov.in

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