Mining has created some of the largest environmental disaster zones in the world. Each step in minimized processing operations produces large quantities of waste materials.

Underground mining with a system of shaft and tunnels, does not produce as much waste as open cost mining. These materials even if chemically inert will clog stream, gets deposited in lakes and cloud the air over large area. The grade of ore is important in determining the world’s important running activity.

Conservation of Minerals Resources :

The enormous level of consumption of mineral wealth has so much increased that many elements are at the brink of disappearance. Thus, it has now become serious matter to follow necessary steps for the conservation of minerals. This can be achieved in the following manner:

ADVERTISEMENTS:

1. Minimizing the use of Mineral Resources :

The simplest way to conserve mineral resources is to practice economy both in the use of metal and minerals. Many industrialized nations should ensure access to cheap mineral supplies. It is mainly due to the low prices that mineral and mineral products are freely used even at places where they are hardly required. A little restriction on taxation could cause the mineral to become more expensive which will lead to curtailment of unnecessary over consumption.

2. Effort to make Finished Products to Long Lasting:

Metal containing products should be manufactured as to last longer and repairable to be used again and again. The use and throw away product after a product has lost its utility should be discouraged.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

3. Reuse and Recycling of Metals:

A machine with a brass component can be pulled not and its components should be used to make another instrument of utility.

4. Use of Cheaper Substitutes:

There are a number of finished products in which cheaper material other than metals may use. In other words, it is not advisable to make a metal bucket when cheaper plastic buckets are available. Besides cheaper materials may be substituted for mineral products and metals.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

5. Recovery of Material from Minerals:

A number of minerals occur as a complex mixture of a number of elements. An ore is never pure. Methods should be evolved to separate or recover most of useful elements present in the ore.

6. Search for New Deposits:

Much of the rock from element and earth’s crust are still unknown. An intensive search will reveal a number of deposits which will enlarge our mineral resources.