Pre Feasibility Report of Shri Lekhram Sahu, Kurdi Flagstone Mine (Minor Mineral) Mine, 2.38 Ha
TABLE OF CONTENTS
S.No. / Contents / Page No.1. / Introduction / 1-3
2. / Project Description / 4
3. / Geology / 5-7
4. / Mining / 8-9
5. / Mine Drainage / 10
6. / Analysis of Alternative / 11-12
7. / Socio economic Measures / 12
8. / Project Benefits / 13
9. / Site Services / 13
10. / Conclusion / 13
1.0INTRODUCTION
Shri Lekhram Sahu is a private individual and a resident of Bhilai. Hehad applied for lease of Flag stone (minor mineral) over an area of 2.38 Ha at village Kurdiof Tehsil Gunderdehiand District Balod in Chhattisgarh.
The area applied under mining lease falls under the survey of India Toposheet no. 64 H/1and bounded by latitude of20051'14.92" N & longitude of 81012'52.80" E.
The area selected has a sufficient reserve of the Flag stone deposit (minor) as proved by surrounding working mines, which will be sufficient for ten years period and the geological reserves is 1,85,000 MTin which 1,20,000 MT is Mineable reserves.
The Lesse is a private individual and the lease has been applied for the lease of flag stone (minor mineral) for a period of 10 years on 10/04/2012.
Table 1.1Location Details
S.No / Particulars / Details1 / Location / Kurdi
2 / Village / Kurdi
3 / Tehsil/District / Gunderdehi, Balod
4 / State / Chhattisgarh
5 / Latitude / 20051'14.92" N
6 / Longitude / 81012'52.80" E
7 / Geographical Location in Toposheet / 64 H/1
9 / Nearest railhead / 8 km approx. (Sikosa)
11 / Historical / Tourist places / None within 10 km radius
12 / Nearest town / Gunderdehi (12 km approx.)
The area falls within latitude of latitude of 20051'14.92" N & longitude of 81012'52.80" E and is covered by Survey of India Toposheet number64 H/1 on 1: 50,000 scale. The site is flat.
The details of the mine is that it covers an area of 2.38 Ha havingKhasra no. 682/1, 682/2, 682/3, 683, 681, 684 at village- Kurdi,Tehsil- Gunderdehi & District- Balod (C.G).
It is a non forest private land.
1.1Purpose of the Pre feasibility report (PFR)
The purpose of this Pre feasibility report is to provide information after assessing and analysing the various environmental features. Baseline data/information of the project for obtaining Environmental Clearance from Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF), New Delhi (as per EIA Notification 2006) have been provided.
The report is based on preliminary information about the project site conditions after conducting field visits, literature studies that are carried out.
1.2Nature and Size of Project
The proposed project is a manual opencast flagstone (minor) project and is classified as “CATEGORY – B” by Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi as per new EIA notification dated 14th September 2006.
1.3Land requirement
Kurdi Flagstone Mine (minor) is located at VillageKurdi, Tehsil-Gunderdehi & District- Balodin Chhattisgarh State.
1.4Water Requirement
Water is required for mining operations/establishment mainly for sprinkling on haulage roads and at faces for suppression of dust. Water is also required for washing and servicing utilities for equipment. Water requirement for the proposed mining activity is about 7 m3/day. Mine water collected/harvested in rainy reason in the pits will be used for the purpose of water spraying, cleaning & plantation. The drinking water requirement of the mines workers, staff will met by bore wells provided in leasehold area etc.
1.5Man Power Requirement
The mining establishment presents vast opportunities of employment to various posts and under various cadres such as Management, Supervisory, skilled workmen, semi-skilled workmen and unskilled workmen will be 10.
1.6Cost of the project
The capital cost for the project will be30lakhs including proposed lease area and machinery.
1.7Importance to Country
Exploiting this flagstone deposit (minor mineral) is important for the country’s long term economic growth and regional growth. By mining the deposit, the lessee acts as bridge the gap between demand and supply of flagstone in the market and will provide country with increased government earning and revenues transform the region’s economy from predominantly agricultural to significantly industrial and accelerate the pace of regional development of region specially in the construction field. The project shall provide additional revenue to State Government and create direct and indirect employment opportunities, which will catalyze overall growth of the State and improve the quality of life of the people living in the region.
1.8 Major points covered in the study
The methodology adopted for the study is as follows:
- To conduct literature review for collecting information relevant to the study area.
- To identify various existing pollution loads that will be generated from the proposed activity.
- To prepare an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) outlining the measures for improving the environmental quality and scope for proposed mine for sustainable development.
The literature review includes identification of relevant articles from various publications, collection of data from various government agencies and other sources. Following information related to the projects are:
- Existing topography, location of surface water bodies like ponds, canals and rivers around mining area
- Location of villages/towns/sensitive areas at the periphery
- Accessibility, power availability and security of monitoring equipment; pollution pockets in the proposed mining area.
1.9Description of the Environment
The findings of baseline environmental information of the study area are summarized below:
- The soil in the study area would very well support vegetation.
- The entire lease area is a non forest private revenue area.
- No endangered species of plants and animals has been found in the study area.
- The basic infrastructure facility of the study area is fairly developed.
1.10Climate
The climate of this region has a tropical wet and dry climate, temperatures remain moderate throughout the year, except from March to June, which can be extremely hot. The temperature in April–May sometimes rises above 47 °C .These summer months also have dry and hot winds. The city receives about 1,300 millimetres (51in) of rain, mostly in the monsoon season from late June to early October. Winters last from November to January and are mild, although lows can fall to 8 °C .
2.0PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Table 2.1- Details of Project:
S.No / Particulars / Details1. / Proposed Production / 12,000 MT per year
2. / Lease Area / 2.38 Ha
3. / Expected Project cost / 30 Lakhs
4. / Method of mining / Manual open cast
5. / Applied for mine / 10 years
6. / Water Requirement / 7 KLPD
7. / Manpower Requirement / 10
8. / Forest if any / Not in the proposed lease area
2.1Lease Area
The area falls within latitude of 20051'14.92" N & longitude of 81012'52.80" E. The site is flat.
The said Flagstone mine (minor mineral) is covering over an area of 2.38 Ha having Khasra no. 682/1, 682/2, 682/3, 683, 681, 684 at village- Kurdi, Tehsil- Gunderdehi & District- Balodin Chhattisgarh.
It is a non forest privateland.
2.2Details of the Mine
The Kurdi Flagstone Mine falls within latitude of20051'14.92" N & longitude of 81012'52.80" E and is covered by Survey of India Toposheet number 64H/1on 1: 50,000 scale. The site is flat.
2.3Transport and Communication
The area can be approached from highway Durg- Balod road up to Pairi junction which is 10 km from Gunderdehi and there is a diversion towards right hand side for the proposed mine site which is at a distance of 4.8 km from the diversion nearer to village kurdi. The nearest rail head is Sikosa Station (8 km approx) from the proposed lease area. The tehsil township is Gunderdehi which is at a distance of 12 km (approx) from the proposed lease area.
2.4Topography and Drainage
The study area consists of essentially flat land. There are no hills in the close vicinity of the mine site. There is no forest within lease area. No river or big nallah lies in the lease area.
3.0GEOLOGY
3.1Geology
The central part of the middle Proterozoic Chhattisgarh Basin is composed of epicontinental or stable shelf sediments. The Chhattisgarh Basin covers on area of about 35,000 km2 in the central Indian Craton, and lies mostly in the south –eastern part of Madhya Pradesh.
According to Das (1992) in the Chhattisgarh Basin, the deposition was apparently initial in proto-basin evolved along the south-eastern margin, which was filled up by a basal arenitic sediment followed upward predominantly by argillite and local carbonates with stromatolites. The sedimentation was followed by a short hiatus accompanied by mild diastrophism after which the depocentre was shifted to the north due to formation of the main basin. The sedimentation in the main basin was commenced with silici-clastic deposition of Chandrapur Group on Archaean-Lower Proterozoic basement in the major part and on Singhora Group along South-Eastern margin. The early sedimentation took place in a high energy zone accompanied by rapid sinking of the basin floor which gradually waned in course of time.
The peneplanation of the provenance area in the later period supplied the fine clastics and carbonate and deposited under comparatively warm tranquil conditions. The closing phase of sedimentation is marked by a period of desiccation which prevailed in a shinking basinal area in the Main (Hirri) sub-basin. The succession was later intruded by basic dykes. The presence of strom-atolites suggests an age of the sequence as “Lower Riphaean to Vendian”.
The intra-cratonic Chhattisgarh Basin is crescent shaped and covers about 33,000 sq km area in Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur and Raigarh districts of Chhattisgarh and adjoining parts of Orissa. The basin has a maximum length of about 300 km along ENE-WSW direction. The maximum thickness of sediments is estimated to be about 2 km and is epicontinental or stable shelf type. The regional geology of the Chhattisgarh Supergroup as per GSI Publication on 2001 is as under:
GEOLOGY IN BRIEF: Litostrtigraphy of Chhattisgarh Basin (GSI, 2001)
Group / Formation / MemberCHHATTISGARH SUPERGROUP / Raipur Group / Intrusives / Dolerite dyke
Maniyari
(70 m) / Purple shale with limestone, dolomitic limestone and gypsum
Hirri (70 m+) / Grey limestone, argillaceous limestone
Terenga
(180 m ?) / Bilha / Purple dolomitic argillite
Dagauri / Green clay, chert and shale intercalation (tuffaceous?)
Kusmi / Pink to purple calcareous shale
Chandi
(67 m) / Nipania / Purple and bedded limestone
Purple argillaceous stromatolitic limestone
Pendri / Deodongar / Purple and grey stromatolitic limestone and limestone with flaggy limestone-shale intercalation / ferruginous glauconitic arenite and shale
Gunderdehi / Newari / Pink and buff stromatolitic limestone and limestone
Andha / Dotopar / Predominantly pink, purple and grey shale with limestone intercalation / arenite / buff to green shale member in the middle
Charmuriya
(490 m) / Bagbura / Purple limestone (phosphatic)
Kasdol / Dark grey bedded limestone / argillaceous limestone with minor shale intercalations
Ranidhar / Cherty limestone and limestone (phosphatic at places)
Sirpur / Chert and clay intercalation
Chadrapur Group / Kanspather(20-200m) / White to pinkish glauconite quartz arenite
Chapordih
(20-200 m) / Purple, green, grey and black shale with fine quartz arenite intercalation
Lohardih
(20 m) / Ferruginous purple arkose and gritty wacke arenite with shale partings and conglomerate at the base
Unconformity
Singora Group / Chhuipali
(300 m?) / Stromatolitic limestone and limestone at the upper part
Variegated shale with minor bedded limestone, chert, siltstone intercalations
Bhalukona (20 m) / Quartz arenite / siltstone and minor shale
Saripali
(60 m) / Variegated shale with minor siltstone and limestone
Porcellanite, tuff / tuffite
Rahikhol
(20 m+) / Feldspathic arenite, arkose and conglomerate at the base
Unconformity
Basement / Archaean and Lower Proterozoic rocks
Geology of the area:
The Kurdi Flagstone deposit belongs to “Nandgaon group” of the Chhattisgarh Supergroup. The Flagstone(minor) are grey and purple in colour. The Kurdi Flagstone consists of coarse to medium grained, purple with mottled appearance. Deposition of Flagstone formation (minor mineral) is either due to erosion or may be attributed to original sedimentation of calcareous facies in the small basins within the synclinorium composed of argillaceous matter.
The mine area for which the pre feasibility report has been prepared is a proposed lease area and existence of Flagstone (minor mineral) has been proved. There are few quarries in the surroundings which gives clear indication of the types of formation and local geology of the area. The local topography of the mine area is flat.
3.2Details of Exploration
Already carried out in the area:
It is already been mentioned that in the applied area; the area is having a flat topography. There is none of the pit exist in the area. Hence, the exploration activity is insignificant.
The method of mining operation will be in small scale. The operation is sufficient for mining operation for next 10 years and depth extension can be carried out simulataneously during the course of mining operation which gives increased geological reserve and life of the mine.
3.3Conceptual Plan
a)After completion of the life of the mine; the overburden soil will be generated. Therefore abandoned pit after mining will be use for water accumulation for the purpose of irrigation, fishery etc.
b)Final slope of the benches will not be more than 45 degrees.
c)Soil dump will stack surrounding the lease boundary of lease area and it will be used for plantation purpose in the surroundings of the proposed lease area.
4.0MINING
4.1Mining Method
The method of mining will be open cast (manual). Open cast mining is a surface exploitation method.
In the lease area the ore body is covered by alluvial soil.
The thickness of top soil is around 1.0-2.0 meter considering the average thickness is 1.5 meter.
The 16500 sq m area is proposed for mining The total soil expected from the mining activity will be 29700 cu.m by taking consideration of 20 % as swelling factor Around 7300 sq m area will be required for proposed soil dump (as marked on Map) and the height of dump will be 4 m.
The topsoil will be stacked in the boundary of the lease. To maintain fertility and moisture of soil initially grass plantation will be done and later on it will be used for greenbelt development.
The working has been proposed to carry with the height of the bench will be 1.5 meter and width will be 3.0 meter it will uniformly maintained. The flagstone if necessary and hauled to surface by head load and loaded in the dumper. There is no waste as the entire mass is Flagstone (minor Mineral). Loading and unloading will be done manually.
4.2Production
Year wise production details:
By virtue of the market demand intending to the regional and economical growth of the region; the proposed production will be 12,000 MT per year.
4.3Conceptual Mining Plan
After completion of the life of the mine; the overburden soil will be generated. Therefore abandoned pit after mining will be use for water accumulation for the purpose of irrigation, fishery etc.
Final slope of the benches will not be more than 45 degrees.
Soil dump will stack surrounding the lease boundary of lease area and it will be used as a plantation purpose in the surroundings of the mine area.
Open cast working:
The height of the bench will be 1.5 meter and width will be 3.0 meter it will uniformly maintained. There is no waste as the entire mass is Flagstone, which is a desired construction making material. Loading and unloading will be done manually.
All the operation will be carried out manually. All excavation will be excecuted manually using simple instrument like crowbars, spades,chisels and hammers.
4.4Utilization of Flagstone
Flagstone is useful in construction materialin the surrounding areas for the improvement in social & regional development.
4.5 Stacking of Mineral Rejects & disposal of waste:
Nature of waste:
The entire area is covered by soil cover with an average thickness of about 1.5metre below the soil cover Flagstone is exposed.
The entire Flagstone is used as a construction material and no waste has been generated. The soil will be used for the plantation purpose.
Stacking of sub grade mineral:
There is no economic sub grade mineral is found. No sub grade mineral will be produced. The Flagstoneis saleable and utilized in construction material.
4.6Mining Machinery
The mine is manual operated and the details of the machinery is given below:
Table – 3.3: Mining Machinery
Sr. No. / Type / Nos. / Make / Motive Power / Capacity1 / Spades, Chisels & Hammers / 2 / - / - / -
2 / Tipper / 2 / Tata / Diesel / 8 tonns
5.0MINE DRAINAGE
Presently, in near by working mines; the pits reaches the depth of 6-7 mbgl in three mines and in which no ground water table has been encountered.
Depth of water level is taken from CGWB and the nearest location is Gunderdehi –May-16mbgl which is at a distance of 12km from the proposed mine
But as per primary data in the surrounding village water table varies between 8-10 meter in pre monsoon.
Hence, the working depth for this mine can be easily considered up to 6 meters.
In course of heavy rains and future seepage of water, it is expected that the lessee has to provide diesel pump. The pumped out water will flow through drains and finally will be discharged into natural water bodies after it goes through settling tank to reduce turbidity. the samples shall be taken to see that turbidity is below CPCB/MoEF Standards.
6.0ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE
6.1Introduction
It is necessary that one should try to find various alternatives and what is environmentally best being preferred. This is submitted herein below.
6.2Alternatives:
Project Proponent hasdecided to undertake an “Alternative Analysis (AA)” for this project. The various alternatives are Site, Technology and ‘No-Project’.
6.3Site alternatives:
The Flagstone mine is located at Kurdi, Tehsil- Gunderdehi & District- Balod in Chhattisgarh State.
State Government and District office has granted few mining lease and quarry leases in Kurdi area.
The site is well approachable
The site will not disturb natural surface water bodies.
The activity will not disturb ground water table since it will not cut aquifer.
No endangered species are found in the proposed site.
Easy availability of manpower in near by villages.
On this examination, the present site was selected for the proposed lease area. The site indeed has served the purpose well resulting in no adverse impact on environment.
6.4Technology Alternatives
Flagstone is surface deposit, so collection of under ground mining cannot be contemplated. Mining will be done manually and open cast. The technology of opencast mining is very simple and explained below.
The technology of opencast mining manually has been developed over the years, and refined indigenously, which is ecofriendly. Moreover, at present, this technology is widely used for manual Flagstone mining.
6.5NO-PROJECT’ Option:
In this option, it is required to be considered as to whether it is more advantageous to the Nation. Moreover, its natural occurring mineral.