Components


The project has three components that will eventually feed into the micro-watershed planning component. These are broadly described below:

Developing alternative uses for abandoned mine pits

Mine pit reclamation and ecological regenration

When mines close down, an important issue that emerges is that of the use of abandoned mine pits. This can be a major environmental and social problem for the mining industry as well as for the community living nearby. Potential impacts can include health and safety problems as well as economic costs due to resource degradation and water pollution or alternatives foregone by not using them more productively. Thus it is necessary to rehabilitate mine sites for other economic uses after mining operations cease. While the restoration of mined-out areas to pristine conditions is not possible, rehabilitation is, to some extent.

At present, abandoned mine pits are being backfilled with mine rejects. Mine pits may have more productive uses than simply serving as repositories for mine rejects, such as the storage of water to meet societal water demands and to regenerate depleted groundwater levels in the immediate vicinity of the mined-out area. A simple method involving indicators has been proposed for determining the best use of mine pits. Indicators have been developed based on extensive technical studies. The decision-making tool being developed is based on feedback, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of all the pertinent parameters.

 

Prevention of soil erosion through the vegetating of mine dumps

For this project a dump at the Dabdabov Mine belonging to the Dempo Mining Company Ltd. has been selected in Bicholim. TERI is working with the Dempo Mining Company over a dump area of five hectares. This dump was selected for pilot scale trials and a feasibility report prepared. The area was divided into three blocks (models) - stone pitched area, terracing area, and gunny bag crate area. Substrate was analysed for nutrient deficiencies and plantation was carried out in the models with suitable species and amendments. In addition, grasses and legumes have been planted. The experiments show that erosion has been effectively controlled and the plantation has grown very well. Community inputs are also sought to identify the kinds of trees that they would like to have grown on such dump areas. This initiative is expected to demonstrate a way to reduce soil erosion from dumps, a problem that downstream communities have to live with, and that it would benefit the communities in the longer term through the plantations that the dump sustains. At the same time, mine owners can locally source inputs, making rehabilitating of dumps more cost-effective.

 

Developing tri-sector partnerships: community, government, and the mining industry

Tri-sector partnerships are: 'arrangements that allow the practicing of trust, which encapsulate a preferred way to manage natural resource wealth in mining regions.' Trust is a relationship between agents based on goodwill for the other which recognizes the mutuality of interests and needs. Tri-sector partnerships are needed to address the concerns of stakeholders and not just those of the company, while simultaneously improving relations with the local community. A variety of issues typical of mining regions can be addressed through partnerships such as land access, compensation, infrastructure needs, environmental problems, etc. A variety of challenges must also be faced such as the changing of stereotypical attitudes, corporate attitudes to valuing community resources, high expectations from local communities, etc., to make partnerships work.

Some of the most pressing problems faced by communities in the, mining areas of Goa such as the siltation of agricultural lands and water bodies and the impact of air pollution on health and well-being can be addressed through tri-sector partnerships. By overcoming challenges, mining companies, government and communities all stand to benefit from working together in solving the problems faced by the local community. While all the activities of this project are being done using a partnership approach, the project has, as a key activity, the development of tri-sector partnerships between community, government and the major industry.