In a major relief to the mining sector, the government has exempted recycling of tailings within existing mining leases from the requirement of new environmental clearance (EC). According to sources, the decision is aimed at promoting sustainable mining practices and reducing regulatory hurdles.

What will happen with the new system?

Under the new arrangement, mining companies will now be able to extract useful minerals, water or other resources by re-processing the waste material left after ore extraction, i.e. tailings, in the same approved mining area, without waiting for separate environmental clearance. This is expected to lead to better utilization of resources and also reduce environmental impact.

Opinion of industry experts

Industry experts say earlier activities like tailings recycling, even within approved mine areas, required separate environmental clearance, which delayed projects and increased costs. Kishore Kumar S, chief operating officer of Hindustan Zinc Ltd, a Vedanta group company, welcomed the move, saying it would help the industry operate with greater freedom and increase operational efficiency. This decision comes at a time when the country is intensifying mining activities keeping in mind the needs of energy transition and emphasis is being laid on sustainable use of resources.