It has a jet black body with white patches on wings and abdomen. It is mainly found in thickly wooded areas surrounding human inhabitation. This photograph was taken using a Fuji HS-10.
Mining and its effects on the environment
Mining has been in the news in the recent past for several reasons, chief among them being the huge profits that a group of brothers has amassed from this activity.
Mining for precious metals, iron and coal is certainly a profitable business and humans have been involved in it for ages by excavating ore. [The rock from which the precious metals/minerals are extracted is termed ore]. Gold, for example, has been mined for centuries for its value and is widely used in ornaments from times immemorial. Gold mining is mainly done from underground mines, as against coal and iron ore, which are mined from open-cast mines.
Open cast mines are an environment hazard, leading to destruction of the environment on a large scale. In open-cast mining, explosives are extensively used to blast open the earth’s surface to get at the ore. This leads to large open craters and a barren surface, devoid of all types of vegetation. Examples of these types of mines are the iron ore mines in Bellary. Additional damage to the environment results from the transportation of the ore to processing stations or mills, where the minerals are extracted.
Examples of underground mines are the Jharia coal mines, Singbhum copper mines and the Hutti gold mines (Raichur district). Amongst the mines, coalmines are the most dangerous and accident prone. The coal mines are also a safety hazard due to poisonous and inflammable gases like methane. The underground rock in coal mines is not hard or solid enough to sustain the weight and as one goes deeper into the earth, the pressure on the mine walls causing rock bursts, sometimes causing entire portions of the mine to cave-in. Gold mines are relatively safe for the miners as the rock is solid and strong enough to with stand tremendous levels of pressure, though there have been several reported instances of rock bursts in gold mines. A widely used technique to strengthen the walls, is to fill in excavated portions of the mines with waste tailings
Gold mines may be safer for the miners. However, they do harm the environment. Extraction of gold involves use of sodium cyanide and the wastes after extraction [spoils or tailings], are often discharged in isolated areas. Very soon, these spoils accumulate into huge dumps of waste lands. These artificial hills are an eyesore and they threaten the hydrological [water] cycle by contaminating ground water sources. Ecological hazards are rarely understood and as the mines are mainly owned by public sector bodies, the hazards are ignored by pollution control authorities. Over a period of time, rain and wind tend to loosen up the artificial hills of tailings and lead to spreading of waste matter. The waste ultimately finds its way into our waterways, streams and rivers, choking the natural drainages and rendering the soil infertile. We would soon be on a "Road to hell"; like Chris Rea says in his popular song. Other effects include, an overall increase in the surface temperatures in the region and reduced fresh water supplies.
Thus, there is an urgent need for effective legislation and monitoring of the ecological hazards of mining. Obtaining environment certifications like ISO 14001, must be made mandatory for all mining organizations. Government bodies, like the pollution control boards and the forest department, must play an active part in assisting the mines in reducing hazardous discharges and in promoting afforestation of the affected areas. Part of the profits should be invested in sustaining a green environment. Lets hope the government is listening.
PS: I would thankfully accept readers' comments and suggestions in making this blog more interesting and educative. Please leave your comments and suggestions. If you wish to upload your bird photographs, you may write to me. Thanks and until next week, bye!
Mining and its effects on the environment
Mining has been in the news in the recent past for several reasons, chief among them being the huge profits that a group of brothers has amassed from this activity.
Mining for precious metals, iron and coal is certainly a profitable business and humans have been involved in it for ages by excavating ore. [The rock from which the precious metals/minerals are extracted is termed ore]. Gold, for example, has been mined for centuries for its value and is widely used in ornaments from times immemorial. Gold mining is mainly done from underground mines, as against coal and iron ore, which are mined from open-cast mines.
Open cast mines are an environment hazard, leading to destruction of the environment on a large scale. In open-cast mining, explosives are extensively used to blast open the earth’s surface to get at the ore. This leads to large open craters and a barren surface, devoid of all types of vegetation. Examples of these types of mines are the iron ore mines in Bellary. Additional damage to the environment results from the transportation of the ore to processing stations or mills, where the minerals are extracted.
Examples of underground mines are the Jharia coal mines, Singbhum copper mines and the Hutti gold mines (Raichur district). Amongst the mines, coalmines are the most dangerous and accident prone. The coal mines are also a safety hazard due to poisonous and inflammable gases like methane. The underground rock in coal mines is not hard or solid enough to sustain the weight and as one goes deeper into the earth, the pressure on the mine walls causing rock bursts, sometimes causing entire portions of the mine to cave-in. Gold mines are relatively safe for the miners as the rock is solid and strong enough to with stand tremendous levels of pressure, though there have been several reported instances of rock bursts in gold mines. A widely used technique to strengthen the walls, is to fill in excavated portions of the mines with waste tailings
Gold mines may be safer for the miners. However, they do harm the environment. Extraction of gold involves use of sodium cyanide and the wastes after extraction [spoils or tailings], are often discharged in isolated areas. Very soon, these spoils accumulate into huge dumps of waste lands. These artificial hills are an eyesore and they threaten the hydrological [water] cycle by contaminating ground water sources. Ecological hazards are rarely understood and as the mines are mainly owned by public sector bodies, the hazards are ignored by pollution control authorities. Over a period of time, rain and wind tend to loosen up the artificial hills of tailings and lead to spreading of waste matter. The waste ultimately finds its way into our waterways, streams and rivers, choking the natural drainages and rendering the soil infertile. We would soon be on a "Road to hell"; like Chris Rea says in his popular song. Other effects include, an overall increase in the surface temperatures in the region and reduced fresh water supplies.
Thus, there is an urgent need for effective legislation and monitoring of the ecological hazards of mining. Obtaining environment certifications like ISO 14001, must be made mandatory for all mining organizations. Government bodies, like the pollution control boards and the forest department, must play an active part in assisting the mines in reducing hazardous discharges and in promoting afforestation of the affected areas. Part of the profits should be invested in sustaining a green environment. Lets hope the government is listening.
PS: I would thankfully accept readers' comments and suggestions in making this blog more interesting and educative. Please leave your comments and suggestions. If you wish to upload your bird photographs, you may write to me. Thanks and until next week, bye!
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