Rabin Shakya 2012 Env. 621 Unit 4. Conservation of Mineral and Energy Resources Mineral Resources ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Categories of Mineral.................................................................................................................................... 2 Mining ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 Location and extraction of minerals ............................................................................................................. 2 Environmental Impact of Mining .................................................................................................................. 5 Conservation of Mineral Resources .............................................................................................................. 6 Mining in Nepal/Mineral in National Develoment ....................................................................................... 7 Mineral Resources in Geographical Regions in Nepal .................................................................................. 8 Processes of Mineral Concentration ............................................................................................................. 8 Mineral deposits, Mines and Their Present Status ....................................................................................... 9 Statutory Arrangement for Mineral Development and Administration ..................................................... 16
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Rabin Shakya 2012
Env. 621 Unit 4. Conservation of Mineral and Energy Resources
Mineral Resources ........................................................................................................................................ 2
Categories of Mineral.................................................................................................................................... 2
management system'; this certification involves short inspections, although it has been accused of
lacking rigor.
Conservation of Mineral Resources
Conservation of mineral resources means the sustainable use of the resources. Considering sustainable
development and exploitation and use is problematic. This is because nonrenewable mineral resources
are consumed over time and sustainability is a long term concept that includes finding ways to provide
future generations a fair share of Earth’s resources. It has been argued that given human ingenuity and
sufficient lead time, solutions for sustainable development that incorporates non-renewable mineral
resources can be sought out.
Finding substitutes or ways to use nonrenewable resources more efficiently generally requires several
decades of research and development a measure of the time available for finding the solution to
depletion of nonrenewable reserves is the R to C ratio, where R is the known reserves (ex, hundreds of
thousands of tons of a metal) and C is the rate of consumption (ex, thousands of tons per year used by
people). The R to C ratio is often misinterpreted as the time a reserve will last at the present rate of
consumption. Thus, R to C ratio is a present analysis of a dynamic system in which both the amount of
reserves and consumption may change over time. However, the ratio can provide a view of how scarce a
particular mineral resource may be. Those metals with relatively small ratios can be viewed as being in
short supply, and it is those resources for which we should find substitutes through technological
innovations.
There are many examples for which the human ingenuity proved to be positive for the conservation of
mineral resources. Copper are used to transmit electricity in wires or electronic pulses in telephone
wires. It is not the copper itself we desire but the properties of capper that allow these transmission. We
can substitute copper wire by fiber glass cables in telephone wires, eliminating the use of the copper.
Similarly, digital cameras have eliminated the need for film development that used silver. The message is
that we can find alternative to compensate for a nonrenewable minerals.
Therefore, reducing consumption, reusing, recycling and finding substitutes are environmentally
preferable ways to delay or alleviate possible crises caused by the convergence of a rapidly rising
population and a limited resource base.
Besides these, there are several methods to conserve the nonrenewable mineral resources. They are;
a. Exploration: • This is not directly related to conservation. • From the point of time when a deposit has been identified, it is usually a long drawn
process reserve and the grades are estimated. b. Mineral Inventory
• Simultaneous with the exploration and exploitation activity going on in the country, it is of utmost importance to continually update the national mineral inventory.
Rabin Shakya 2012
• This facilitates effective monitoring of the country’s mineral resources.
c. Mining technology • Mining technology depends on the mode of occurrence and nature of deposits. • Mining technology determine how much of the deposit can eventually be mined and
how much will have to be lift in situ and wasted forever. d. Systematic dumping
• The ideal situation is that out of the mined out product, whatever cannot be marketed or used, should, instead of being through away, be systematically dumped.
• In future, the same can be recovered from such dumps by using latest technology e. Storage technology
• While solid rejects can be dumped, the same does not hold good for gaseous rejects. The natural gas comes out at the time of extraction of petroleum.
f. Technology • Reduction in the consumption of mineral raw materials can be achieved by improving
the process of manufacturing or the design plants. g. Blending
• In blending operation, a mineral commodity of lower grade is mixed with the same commodity of higher grade in a suitable ratio.
• It has two fold advantages. o Firstly, the lower grade mineral resources, gets utilized. o Secondly, the volume of consumption of the higher grade mineral is brought down.
h. Life of product • Conservation of some of the mineral resources can be achieved by increasing the life
span of the end products based on those minerals. • One of the ways to increase the life span of articles is preventing corrosion.
i. Substitution • Substitution of a scarce mineral, either by a relatively more abundant mineral or by
synthetic substance or by renewable substance. j. Scrap recycling
• Scrap may be generated in the factories during manufacturing or worn out consumer articles like cans, bottles etc.
• By recycling the scrap in the manufacture of consumer goods, conservation of mineral resources can be promoted.
Mining in Nepal/Mineral in National Develoment
A number of small scale historical iron, copper, lead, zinc, cobalt, nickel mines and many slate, quartzite,
dolomite and limestone quarries were in operation in many districts. Old working pits, audits, smelting
places, scattered slag and remnant of mine materials are the solid proofs of such mining activities in the
past. In many cases the name of the village is derived after the particular mines e.g. Taba Khani, Phalam
Khani, Shisa Khani, Sun Khani etc.
Mineral exploration activities were in peak during 1974 – 1980 when DMG and UN funded Mineral
Exploration Development Project was in action. many private investors are showing their interest and
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taken 451 exploration licenses for 21 minerals and 80 mining license for 21 mineral commodities (except
river gravel and sand mines) from DMG. For much talking, mining and mineral resources play a vital role
in overall development of the country. But, in Nepalese context it is very poor. Presently contribution
from minerals and mine is about 0.5% and on the whole from Minerals mines and mineral based
industries sector is just around 2.4 % which is not encouraging but could go above 10% or more if we
can utilize existing mineral resources to national GDP.
Mineral Resources in Geographical Regions in Nepal
Nepal Himalaya can be divided into five distinct morpho-geotectonic zones from south to north. The
complex geology of Nepal has led to the different form of mineral deposit in different zone
Southernmost Tarai Plain is potential for gravel, sand, ground water, petroleum and natural gas.
The Sub Himalaya (Churia/ Siwalik foot hills) is the potential area for construction materials,
radioactive minerals, petroleum, natural gas and minor amount of coal.
Lesser Himalaya (The Mahabharat Range including midlands) is promising for metallic minerals
Rocks are the main construction materials since the Stone Age. Some of the rocks like marble,
basalt, granite and red sandstones are used in decoration; phyllite, slates, flaggy quartzite and
schist are used for roofing; limestone, dolomite, quartzite, sandstone are used for aggregate in
various construction works, road paving and flooring. Vast quantities of river boulders, cobbles,
pebbles and sands are mined as construction materials/ aggregates. DMG (Y.P. Sharma et al
1988) has evaluated such materials (Boulders= 347,006,000m3, Cobbles = 214,261,000m3 and
Pebbles = 229,205,000m3) in the Major Rivers of Tarai region.
5. Fuel Minerals
Coal: In Nepal low to medium grade coal occurrences/ deposits are known in four
stratigraphic positions e.g. (i) Quaternary lignite (ii) Siwalik coal (iii) Eocene Coal and (iv)
Gondwana coal. Peat/ lignite in Kathmandu valley is mined and used mainly in brick
burning. Siwalik coal is not economically attractive because of scattered small lenses.
Eocene Coal occurs as irregular seams confined to orthoquartzite in Tosh, Siuja, Azimara
and Abidhara in Dang, Sallyan, Rolpa, Pyuthan and Palpa districts. Small scale 20 coal
mines are in operation in these districts. In addition to that 49 prospecting license are
also issued by DMG. Present Coal production in Nepal is insignificantly small (150 -
250mt/ day).
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Petroleum and Natural Gas: A number of Oil and Natural gas seeps are recorded in a
stretch of about 14km in Padukasthan, Sirsethan and Navisthan area in Dailekh and only
gas seeps in Muktinath in Mustang. GON/DMG/Petroleum Exploration Promotion
Project (PEPP) are giving high priority to explore and promote petroleum exploration in
Nepal since 1982. DMG/ PEPP were able to identify 10 prospective blocks in the
southern parts of the country. Since last few years Texana Resources Company of USA
and Cairn Energy PLC of UK have initiated the exploration. The possibility of finding oil in
some of these blocks appears fairly high.
Methane gas deposit in Kathmandu Valley is known since long time. It dissolves in water
type biogenic gas. DMG explored this gas in 26 sq. km area in Kathmandu valley by
exploration drilling and proved 310 million cubic meter methane gas deposit. The gas
occurs at different depth from 120m to 300m. Its average calorific value is 7200kcal/m3.
A model gas plant is set in Tripureshor/Teku. Feasibility study has confirmed that the gas
can be used for industrial and household purpose and the reserve is sufficient to supply
gas to 21,000 families for about 30 years. The GON/ DMG is inviting for potential
investor to come forward with the suitable proposal to develop the gas wells and
commercialize this gas deposit for the benefit of the people.
Geothermal Hot Springs: During preliminary study 23 geothermal hot springs are
identified. Most of them are found to be associated with Main Central Thrust (MCT) and
confined to the river banks e.g. in Mahakali, Karnali, Tila, Kaligandaki, Myagdi Khola,
Marshyangdi, Trishuli, Bhotekoshi Rivers, and in Kodari. The temperature of the hot
spring water ranges from 400C to 1150C. It can be utilized for heating, drying fruits, hot
water bath to heal skin disease.
Radioactive Minerals like uranium are known from Sindhuli, Makwanpur, Kathmandu
and Baitadi districts. There is a high possibility to find such minerals in the granitic
terrain (granite, gneiss and pegmatite) in the Higher and Lesser Himalayan region and
from the Siwalik sandstone. Uranium is a major source of fuel for the production of
Nuclear energy.
Statutory Arrangement for Mineral Development and Administration
The Government of Nepal has formulated timely relevant Acts and Regulations to promote mineral exploration and development in the country. Accordingly, two separate Acts and corresponding Regulations exist to deal with different minerals, categorized into two groups, namely, (1)All mineral resources (except petroleum) and (2) Petroleum.
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The Acts and Regulations relating directly to mineral resources exploration and development are as follows:
Mines and Mineral Act, 2042 (1985) with First Amendment, 2050 (1993).
Mines and Mineral Regulation, 2056 (1999).
Nepal Petroleum Act, 2040 (1983).
Petroleum Regulation, 2041 (1985) with First Amendment, 2046 (1989) and Second Amendment, 2051 (1994).
Petroleum Industry [Income Tax] Regulation, 2041 (1985)