Mining Projects
GCPL has successfully completed more than 20 mining projects in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, including environmental impact assessment, baseline monitoring and all additional studies as prescribed in Terms of Reference. In addition, there are about 50 ongoing projects in the mining sector. We also assist clients to develop Environmental Management Systems (EMS) to support new and existing mining.
Our process predicts the environmental consequences of the project with reference to its location and receptors prior to the planning and decision making process. We facilitate obtaining clearance while taking care of environment laws such as Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1974, The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, The Environment (Protection) Act 1986, and The Mines Act 1952. We have helped our valuable clients to get statutory clearances in least possible time frame by virtue of technical competency of our team.
GCPL has proven its success with open cast mining in critical environmental setting by detailed deliberation of cost effective and practical management plans. We have successfully worked for coal mines, limestone mines, bauxite mines, granite mines, sand mines and mining of other minor minerals like morrum, sand, silt, bounders, sandstone, etc. We are experienced in subjects such as –
- Long term impact on land management;
- Overburden management;
- Fugitive emissions including area source impact of air pollution and its management;
- Detailed hydro-geological studies;
- Impact on surface and ground water and its management;
- Reclamation activity;
- Stability of pits, over burden, soil dumps and risk management;
- Greenbelt Development; and
- Rainwater Harvesting
In order to get statutory clearances quickly we take up a thorough process which includes take care of excavations, mill which process the ore, facilities which store mine waste & manage water. We also study the feasibility of worker camps, power generation and distribution, transportation, workshops & warehouses for maintenance within the project site. We also coordinate with the mine planner and discuss environmental issues relevant for mines planning.
The project footprint made at the feasibility level is made more accurate but not significantly different. Conservative assumptions are made as a precautionary measure to avoid underestimating or overestimating the magnitude of the impacts when some uncertainty exists.
Our reports include air quality impact as a consequence of mining operation. We present information on production rates, haulage distances, and fuel consumption at both pre-feasibility and feasibility levels. The peak annual and daily conditions are also identified and mentioned in the mine plan to assess worst-case scenarios. We include tonnages of ore and mine waste, metal and acidity loads to be released by different materials, volumes of fresh and process water, water losses, and mine effluents in water impact assessment.
Mining activities generally involves disturbances to habitations and cultivated lands. Issues related to resettlement and local employment is also studied by our social experts. We take the resettlement planning process to a stage that demonstrates viable options of resettlement and rehabilitation. We make a balance between avoiding resettlement as much as possible and initiating a resettlement process in those cases where resettlement in unavoidable.