Standards of Mine Closure Planning, Various rules, regulations related to MCP, brief overview of MCP in India

1. Indian Institute of Technology
Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi
Standards of Mine Closure in Indian Mines
Term Paper Guide:
Dr. Prof. S. Ratan
Dept of Mining Engineering
IIT(BHU), Varanasi
Uttar Pradesh
Submitted by:
Abhiram K
M.Tech Part I
Dept of Mining Engineering
IIT(BHU), Varanasi
Uttar Pradesh

2. • MCDR 1988 Rule 3 says :
“mine closure” means steps taken for
reclamation, rehabilitation measures
taken in respect of a mine or part
thereof commencing from
cessation(stopping) of mining or
processing operations in a mine or
part thereof

3. • The Mine Closure Plan will have two components viz.
I ) Progressive or Concurrent Mine Closure Plan and
II ) Final Mine Closure Plan.
• Progressive Mine Closure Plan includes
various land use activities to be done continuously and
sequentially during the entire period of the mining
operations, whereas
Final Mine Closure activities would start towards the end of
mine life, and may continue even after the reserves are
exhausted and/or mining is discontinued till the mining
area is restored to an acceptable level to create a self
sustained ecosystem.

4. • MCDR 1988 Rule 3 says :
“progressive mine closure” means a
progressive plan, for the purpose of
providing protective, reclamation
and rehabilitation measures in a mine
or part thereof that has been
prepared in the manner specified in
the standard format and guidelines
issued by Indian Bureau of Mines

5. Mine closure process
• Shut Down – production stoppage, early
retirement to employees, min labor force is
needed to shut down.
• Decommissioning – equipment, buildings,
disposing waste
• Remediation/reclamation
• Post closure – monitoring, long term care and
maintenance

6. Reclamation
• Return the land and watercourses to an
acceptable standard of productive use
• Ensuring that any landforms and structures are
stable, and any watercourses are of
acceptable water quality.
• Reclamation typically involves a number of
activities such as removing any hazardous
materials, reshaping the land, restoring topsoil,
and planting native grasses, trees, or ground
cover.

7. Potential uses of mine sites
following mine closure
• Museums or education centres
• Visitor attractions
• Scientific centres
• Recreational areas
• Gardens or parks
• Fish farms
• Agriculture

8. Various governing bodies and rules to
monitor Mine Closure Plans
MAJOR MIENRAL CONCESSIONS
• (I) Mines and Mineral (Development and
Regulation) Act, 1957. (MMDR – Act 1957)
• (II) Mineral Concession Rules 1960. (MCR –
1960)
• (III) Mineral Conservation and Development
Rules – 1988 (MCDR – 1988)

9. Standards according to MCDR 1988
• 23A : Every mine shall have Progressive MCP
and Final MCP.
• 23B :
 Review the progressive mine
closure plan every five years from the date of
its approval
 Approval or refusal of the progressive
mine closure plan should be within ninety days
of the date of its receipt. No response from the
concerned official declares the approval of plan.

10. • 23C : submit a final mine closure plan for approval
one year prior to the proposed closure of the
mine.
• 23D : The modification of mine closure plan
• 23E : Responsibility of the holder of mining lease
• 23F : Financial assurance
Rs 25000/- per Ha for Category A Mines
Rs 15000/- per Ha for Category B Mines
in any case not < Rs 2 lakh for Cat A &
Rs 1 lakh for Cat B Mines

11. Format of Progressive MCP of a Mine
• 1.1 Introduction:
the name of the lessee,
the location and extent of lease area,
the type of lease area (forest etc),
the present land use pattern,
the method of mining and
mineral processing operations

12. 1.1: Reasons for closure
• The reasons for closure of mining operations in
relation to exhaustion of mineral, lack of
demand, uneconomic operations, natural
calamity, directives from statutory organization
or court etc. should be specified

13. 1.2 : Statutory Obligations
• The legal obligations, if any, which the
mine owner is bound to comply with
such as special conditions imposed
while execution of lease deed, approval
of mining plan
1.3 : Closure Plan Preparation

14. 2.0 Mine Description
• 2.1 Geology:
• 2.2 Reserves:
• 2.3 Mining Method:
• 2.4 Coal Beneficiation:

15. 3. Closure Plan
• 3.1 Mined-Out Land
• 3.2 Water Quality Management
• 3.3 Air Quality Management
• 3.4 Waste Management
• 3.5 Top Soil Management
• 3.6 Management of Coal Rejects from washery
• 3.7 Infrastructure
• 3.8 Disposal of Mining Machinery
• 3.9 Safety and Security
• 3.10 Economic Repercussions of closure of mine

16. 4. Time Scheduling for
abandonment
5. Abandonment Cost
6. Financial Assurance
7.Responsibility of Mine Owners
8. Provision for Mine Closure

17. References
• MCDR 1988, MCR 1960
• Ministry of Coal, Guidelines for preparation of MCP
• http://www.miningfacts.org/environment/what-
happens-to-mine-sites-after-a-mine-is-closed/
• Ramco Budawada Limestone Mine of M/s The
Ramco Cements Limited 1st Scheme of Mining
including Mine Closure Planning