Case Study

Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan :

The Forest Department has cancelled the sanctioned leased for mining in the Sariska Tiger Reserve area by notifying the protected forest area. This will disturb not only the breeding of tigers but also villagers in the vicinity areas. The local people have fought against the mining lobby by filing public interest litigating in the Supreme Court in 1991.

Assignments

Natural resources [metallic, non-metallic mineral deposits as well as precious-semiprecious stones], are found in association with igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks in different parts of the country. To see and study in the field itself, excursions may be arranged and students may be taken in to the areas of Geological interest.

Metallic mineral deposits : For metallic mineral deposits, following areas may be visited :

  1. for Bauxite [Aluminium Ore] : Amarkantak and Katni areas [Madhya Pradesh], Surguja and Raigarh areas [Chhattisgarh].
  1. for Chromite [Chromium Ore]: Sukinda and Keonjhar [Orissa], Jojohatu and Roroburu areas [Bihar].
  1. for Chalcopyrite [Copper Ore] : Singhbhum [Bihar], Khetri [Rajasthan], Balaghat [Madhya Pradesh].
  1. for Hematite-Magnetite [Iron Ores]: Singhbhum [Bihar], Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj [Orissa], Bailadilla [Bastar] and Dallirajhara [Durg] districts of Chhattisgarh, Private Iron Ore Mines of Goa, Kudremukh [Karnataka].
  1. forPyrolusite-Psilomelane-Braunite [Manganese Ores]: Balaghat and Chhindwara Districts [Madhya Pradesh], Nagpur-Bhandara [Maharashtra].
  1. for Galena-Sphalerite [Lead-Zinc Ores]:Zawar [Udaipur] and Rampur-Agucha [Bhilwara] areas of Rajasthan.
  1. for Cassiterite [Tin Ore]: Areas of Bastar District [Chhattisgarh].
  1. for Gold: Kolar Gold Field, Hutti Gold Mines [Karnataka], Ramagiri Gold Field [Anantpur District, Andhra Pradesh].
  1. for Silver : It is obtained as a by-product in the extraction of lead-zinc and gold from their ores. Hindustan Zinc Limited is the only organization who has the Silver Smelter at Debari, Udaipur [Rajasthan].
  1. for Uranium: Jaduguda [Singhbhum, Bihar].
  1. for Thorium: Coastal areas of Kerala.

Non-metallic mineral deposits : For non-metallic mineral deposits, following areas may be visited :

  1. for Diamond : Panna diamond mines.
  1. for Barite: In Cuddapah, Kurnool and Anantpur Districts of Andhra Pradesh.
  1. for Fluorite: Ambadongar [Panchmahal, Gujarat].
  1. for Gypsum : Barmer, Nagaur, Bikaner [Rajasthan].
  1. for Talc: Singhbhum [Bihar], Udaipur, Jaipur, Sawaimadhopur, Bhilwara, Tonk and Dungarpur Districts of Rajasthan.
  1. for Feldspar: Pegmatites of Bihar, Nellore and Bhilwara mica beltscontain large quantity of feldspars.
  1. for Rock Phosphate: Jhamarkotra [Udaipur, Rajasthan], Meghnagar [Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh], Mussoorie-Dehradun [Uttaranchal].
  1. for Mica: Kodarma [Bihar], Nellore [Andhra Pradesh], Ajmer and Bhilwara Districts of Rajasthan.
  1. for Coal : Major coalfields belong to Jharia [Jharkhand]; Bokaro, Karanpura [Bihar], Raniganj [West Bengal]; Pench-Kanhan-Tawa, Singrauli [Madhya Pradesh]; Talchir [ Orissa]; Singraini [Andhra Pradesh]; Palana [Rajasthan]; Neyvelli [Tamil Nadu].
  1. for Petroleum and Natural Gas: Ankleshwar oil field, Kalol oil field, Cambay gas field [Gujarat]; Bombay High, Panna, Mukta oil-gas field [off shore]; Digboi, Naharkatiya, Badarpur, Makum, Sibsagar [Assam]; Krishna-Godavari Basin; Cauvery Basin.

Other areas of Geological interest : Following areas of Geological interest may be visited :

  1. Limestone is the principal raw material used for the manufacture of Portland Cement. Nimbahera [Rajasthan], Katni [Jabalpur] etc. may be visited for limestone mining. Major cement plants which are working in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnatakaetc. can be visited.
  1. Smelters extract metals from ore. Copper smelters of Khetri [Jhunjhunu District, Rajasthan], Ghatsila [Singhbhum District, Bihar], Lead-Zinc smelters of Debari [Udaipur District, Rajasthan], Chanderia [Chittorgarh District, Rajasthan] may be visited.
  1. Refineries are the filtration units of petroleum and various organic by-products are obtained.Barauni, Bina, Bongaigaon, Digboi, Guwahati, Haldia, Jamnagar,Kochi,Mangalore,Mathura,Mumbai,Panipat,Tatipaka, Vishakhapatnam etc. refineries can be visited.
  1. Washeries are the units where coal is washed to remove its impurities, hence quality enhances.Barora, Bhojudih,Dugda, Madhuban,Mohuda,Moonidih,Patherdih,Sudamdih etc. can be visited to see the coal washing stages and techniques.
  1. Marble mines of Makrana [Nagaur District, Rajasthan] and Marble cutting and polishing units of Udaipur-Nathdwara-Kankroli belt, Rajasthan are worth to visit.
  1. Dimensional Block Mining of Granites of Jalore [Rajasthan] and Serpentinites of Kesariyaji [Udaipur District, Rajasthan] etc. their slicing and mirror polishing units may attract the common man.