The central mines ministry launched a satellite-based illegal mining detection system, which will receive tip offs in the form of pictures taken from a mobile phone, automatically generate complaints to state authorities and publish the outcome of a probe in a mobile application.
About Mining :
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef or placer deposits which forms the mineralized package of economic interest to the miner.
- Ores recovered by mining include metals, coal, oil shale, gemstones, limestone, dimension  stone, rock salt, potash, gravel, and clay. Mining is required to obtain any material that cannot be grown through agricultural processes, or created artificially in a laboratory or factory. Mining in a wider sense includes extraction of any non-renewable resource such as petroleum, natural gas, or even water.
- Mining of stones and metal has been a human activity sincepre-historic Modern mining processes involve prospecting for ore bodies, analysis of the profit potential of a proposed mine, extraction of the desired materials, and final reclamation of the land after the mine is closed.
- Mining operations usually create a negative environmental impact, both during the mining activity and after the mine has closed. Hence, most of the world’s nations have passed regulations to decrease the impact. Work safety has long been a concern as well, and modern practices have significantly improved safety in mines.
- Levels of metals recycling are generally low. Unless future end-of-life recycling rates are stepped up, some rare metals may become unavailable for use in a variety of consumer products. Due to the low recycling rates, some landfills now contain higher concentrations of metal than mines themselves.
About Illegal Mining Detection :
Mining surveillance system (MSS), a pan-India surveillance network using latest satellite technology, to check illegal mining. The technology will ensure sustainable utilisation of the country’s mineral resources. MSS will trigger an alarm whenever there is an instance of illegal mining outside permitted areas. Karnataka, which saw large instances of illegal mining in the past, stands to gain tremendously from this technology.
- MSS is a satellite-based monitoring system, which aims to check illegal mining activity through automatic remote-sensing detectionÂ
- This technology will help design planned development of mining as also provide complete data of laborers working in the sector online, which will lead to better safety standards, the minister noted.
- The surveillance system covers most of the 2,133 working mines in the country and the union government is working with states to digitize the non-working mines too within three months.
- Eventually, the entire 3,843 mines in the country will come under the surveillance system. It detects suspicious activities within a range of 500 metres outside the mining lease boundary.
- The idea is to make mineral administration more responsive in curbing instances of illegal mining activity through public participation and remote sensing detection technology.
- It is noted that this system covers only illegal mining outside the lease area and not any excavation within the lease area which is conducted without sufficient approvals or after the approvals have expired.
