Bauxite mining in Jharkhand is impacting soil fertility, people’s health

Subject: Environment

Sec: Pollution

Context: Bauxite mining in Gumla district of Jharkhand is making the land barren and affecting the health of the people.

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Mining activities say that companies are not following norms that include backfilling of fields after the conclusion of mining, which is affecting their livelihood.
Obtaining leases for mining on forest land is a complicated process and while procuring leases for mining on farming land is comparatively easier.
The forest department is responsible for monitoring the loss of forest land due to mining and preparing an action plan. However, only wildlife and vegetation come under its ambit. Monitoring the impact on farmers and tribal communities does not come under its purview.

Bauxite:

Bauxite is an important ore that is used for making aluminium. It is an oxide of aluminium.
Bauxite appears dull in luster and is reddish-brown, white, or tan in color.
It is not a specific mineral but a rock consisting mainly of hydrated aluminium oxides.
The deposits of Bauxite are mainly associated with laterites and occur as capping on hills and plateaus, except in coastal areas of Gujarat and Goa.
Bauxite is primarily used to produce alumina through the Bayer process.
Australia is the largest producer of bauxite, followed by China.

Bauxite reserves in India

There are abundant bauxite reserves in the country. However since they are located in heavily forested areas, inhabited by indigenous people; mining has been unable to start in these regions.
By States, Odisha alone accounts for 53% of country’s resources of bauxite. The ranking of states in terms of bauxite resources is as following
- Odisha (53%)
- Andhra Pradesh (16%)
- Gujarat (8%)
- Jharkhand (5%)
- Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh (4% each).