INTRODUCTION TO

MINE CLOSURE PLAN

(Legislative application )
LEGISLATION APPLICABLE
TO MINES IN INDIA

MINES ACT 1952

MINES & MINERAL DEVELOPMENT &

REGULATION 1957
 MINES ACT 1952
(Act no 35 of 1952)

An Act to amend & consolidate the law relating to

the regulation of labour and safety in mines.
Main rules made there under are:-
Metalliferous mines Regulation
Coal Mines Regulation
Oil Mines Regulation
Mines Rules
Mines V.T. Rules etc.
 MINES & MINERAL DEVELOPMENT
& REGULATION 1957
(Act no 67 of 1957)
An act to provide for Development & regulation of
mines & minerals under the Control of the Union
Main rules made there under are:-
Mineral Concession Rules 1960
Mineral Conservation & Development Rules 1988
 Mineral Conservation &
Development Rules 1988

In Exercise of power conferred under section 18

of the MINES & MINERAL
DEVELOPMENT & REGULATION 1957,
Central Government Made the rules for
Conservation & Development of minerals
 Applicability of
Mineral Conservation & Development Rules
1988

It shall be applicable all mineral

except :-
Petroleum & Natural Gas
Coal lignite & sand for stowing
Any Mineral declared as prescribed substance
for the purpose of the Atomic Energy Act 1962
Minor minerals
Scientific mining involves three basic
issues:

In plain areas excavation from one end of the

deposit progressing to the other end and in hill
areas working from top downwards.
Disturbing only minimum surface areas for
envisaged production.
Simultaneous reclamation of already mined out
areas or effecting stability by restoration of the
mined out area while carrying out active
productive phases in advance areas.
 Effect of Mining Activities

To cause changes in
 Physical
 Chemical
 Biological
 Socio-economic changes in the
characteristics of the area
 Recent Amendments
 GSR 329 (E) – Mineral Concession
dated 10.4.2003 (Amendments) Rules

 GSR 329 (E) - Mineral Conservation &

dated 10.4.2003 Development
(Amendment) Rules, 2003

In the above amendments the concept of

Mine Closure Plan has been introduced.
 Preparations of Mine Closure Plans

 The Mine Closure Plan is required to be

prepared as per the guidelines issued by the
IBM

 Detailed guideline has been circulated by

IBM vide circular No.14/2003 dated 8.8.2003
 Types of Mine Closure Plan

As per Rule 23A of Mineral Conservation and

Development Rules 1988 every mine is
required to prepare two types of mine closure
plans i.e.

i)‘Progressive Mine Closure Plan’(PMCP)

and
ii) ‘Final Mine Closure Plan’ (FMCP)
“Abandonment of Mine”

Means
final closure of a mine either whole
or part thereof when the mineral
deposits within mine or part thereof,
have been fully extracted or when
the mining operations have become
uneconomic.
“Mine Closure”

means
steps taken for reclamation,
rehabilitation, measures taken in
respect of a mine or part thereof
commencing from cessation of mining
or processing operations in a mine or
part thereof.
 “Progressive Mine Closure Plan”

means

A progressive plan, for the purpose of providing

protective, reclamation and rehabilitation .
Measures in a mine or part thereof
that has been prepared in the matter specified
in the standard format and
Guidelines issued by the Indian Bureau of
Mines.
“Final Mine Closure Plan”
means

A plan for the purpose of decommissioning,

reclamation and rehabilitation in the mine or
part thereof .
After cessation of mining and mineral
processing operations
That has been prepared in the manner specified
in the standard format and guidelines issued by
the Indian Bureau of Mines.
Submission of Mine Closure Plans
In case of fresh grant or renewal of mining
lease,
 It is required to submit the progressive
mine closure plan as a component of mining
plan .
 The PMCP is an integral part of the
mining plan in case of fresh and renewal of
mining lease cases, Final Mine Closure Plan
is a separate document.
In case of existing mining lease, the owner,
agent, manager or mining engineer is
required to submit the progressive mine
closure plan to the Regional Controller of
Mines or officer authorised by the State
Government in this behalf within a period of
180 days from the commencement of the
Mineral Conservation & Development
(Amendments) Rules, 2003 i.e. on before
10.10.2003.
The progressive mine closure plan
is required to be reviewed every five
years giving proposals of
progressive closure of mines for the
next five years.
In case of Final Mine Closure
Plan. It is required to submit
the same one year prior to the
proposed closure of mine to the
Regional Controller of Mines or
officer authorised by the State
Government in this behalf.
 PREPARATIONS OF
MINE CLOSURE PLANS

• The mine closure plans is required

to be submitted as per guidelines
issued by the Indian Bureau of Mines.
• These guidelines is circulated vide
Circular No. 14 / 2003.
1. Introduction

1.1 Brief introduction of the mine

1.2 Reasons for closure
1.3 Statutory obligations
1.4 Closure Plan Preparations
2. Mine description

2.1 Geology
2.2 Reserves
2.3 Mining Methods
2.4 Mineral Beneficiation
3. Review of Implementation of
Mining Plan / Scheme of
Mining including five years
Progressive Closure Plan upto
the final closure of mine.
4. Closure Plan

4.1 Mined out Land

4.2 Water Quality Management
4.3 Air Quality Management
4.4 Waste Management
4.5 Topsoil Management
4.6 Tailing Dam Management
4.7 Infrastructure
4.8 Disposal of Mining machinery
4.9 Safety & Security
4.10 Risk Analysis & Disaster
Management
4.11 Care & Maintenance during
temporary discontinuance
5. Economic Repercussions of Closure of
mine and manpower Retrenchments.
6. Time schedule for abandonment
7. Abandonment cost
8. Financial assurance
9. Certificates
10. Relevant Plans & Sections
Introduction
In this chapter the following points are to
require to be covered.
Brief introduction of the mine
This may include the name of the applicant of
mine closure plan, his complete postal address
including fax, telephone, email address etc.; the
location of the mine for which the closure plan
is prepared indicating the complete postal
address.
The details of lease area/s held under
the mine indicating the ownership of
the lease, how much forest area is
involved, if any; how much area
acquired for the lease area, validity of
lease period etc is required to be
described. The present land use
pattern of the mine area should also
be discussed.
A brief of method of mining &
mineral processing operations being
followed is required to be given. In
short this sub-chapter should give
first hand information about the
mine.
 Reasons for closure

In this sub-chapter the reasons for closure of

mining operations are to be described. It
should be made clear why the mine is being
closed. Reasons such as exhaustion of mineral
lack of demand, uneconomic operations,
natural calamity, directives from statutory
organization or court etc. or any other
reasons should be specified.
Statutory obligations
The legal obligations, if any for which the lessee
is bound to implement like special conditions
imposed.
While execution of lease deed.
While approval of mining plan.
Directives issued by the IBM.
Conditions imposed by the Ministry of
Environment & Forests, Government of India.
Statutory obligations-continued…

State or Central Pollution Control Board.

Conditions imposed by the Directorate of
Mines Safety or by any other organizations.
Describing the nature of conditions and
compliance position thereof should be indicated
here.
Wherever necessary the copies of relevant
documents may be attached as Annexure.
Closure Plan Preparation

Here the name and address of the

applicant and recognized qualified
person who prepared the Mine Closure
Plan and the name of the executing
agency should be furnished. A copy of
the resolution of the board of Directors
or any other administrative authority
authorizing the applicant to submit the
plan must be included.
Mine Description
This chapter is comprises of following four sub-chapters.

Geological Description
In this sub-chapter briefly describe the
topography and general geology
indicating rocks types available, the
chemical constituents of the rocks
/minerals including toxic elements if
any, in the mine site.
Reserves and Resources available

Indicate here the mineral reserves/

resources available category wise in the
lease area estimated in the last Mining
Plan/Scheme of Mining approved along
with the balance of mineral reserves at
the proposed mine closure including its
quality available.This is required to be
given only in case of FMCP.
 Mining Method

Describe in brief the mining method

followed to win the mineral extent of
mechanization, mining machinery
deployed, production level etc.
 Mineral Beneficiation
Describe here in brief the mineral
beneficiation practice being used, if any
indicating the process description in
short. Indicate here discharge details of
any tailings / middling and their disposal/
utilization practice being followed.
 Review Proposals proposed in the Mining
Plan / Scheme of Mining.
 Review of proposals for protection of
environment up to the closure of mine.
 Status of implementation of various
proposals including proposals of
protection of environment envisaged.
 The reasons for deviations from the
proposals if any.
 Corrective measures taken for deviation in
implementation of proposals.
 COSURE PROPOSAL
Every progressive mine closure plan should have
specific closure proposal for ensuing five years in
respect of-
Mined Out Area
Reclamation of Mined out area
 Planed waste management & stabilization of inactive
dumps & protective measures for its confinement
Planned stacking of sub-grade mineral
Planned plantation out-side UPL
 LAND USE DETAILS
1. MINED OUT LAND
AREA ALREADY BROKEN UP
AREA ALREADY BACK FILLED
AREA ALREADY RECLAIMED
2. ADDITIONAL AREA PROPOSED TO BE
BROKEN UP
ADITIONAL AREA PROPOSED TO BE BACK
FILLED
ADDITIONAL AREA PROPOSED TO BE
RECLAIMED
DUMPS (Waste dumps/sub-grade stacks)
1. Area occupied by dumps
2. Additional area to be covered by dumps
3. Dumps area/locations to be covered by protective
measures
Construction of drainage channels
Construction of retaining walls
Plantation on finalized slopes
Any other stabilization measures
 PLANTATION

Area already covered under

plantation
Area proposed to be brought under
plantation in next five years
 CRITICAL ISSUES
FOR
MINE CLOSURE
(Land, People, Security,
Documentation, infrastructure, Risk
Analysis,
Disaster Management)
 INTRODUCTION
The mine closure and decommissioning address various
issues namely
Reclamation of affected areas,
Environmental protection issues,
Community development pursued and
Emotional sustenance of the people
Out of all these physical reclamation of excavated
areas and maintenance of physical standard of
effluents by continued treatment, besides
examination of commitment towards sustainability
of the mining areas for continued use of the mining
areas.
 Land
Residual Reclamation of mined out areas

Scientific mining involves three basic issues:

In plain areas excavation from one end of the
deposit progressing to the other end and in hill areas
working from top downwards.
Disturbing only minimum surface areas for
envisaged production
Simultaneous reclamation of already mined out
areas or effecting stability by restoration of the
mined out area while carrying out active productive
phases in advance areas
Stabilisation of remnant dump slopes

Waste dumps generation are in layers of 10 mtrs. Height

concentrically advancing inwards.
In mining phases lower layers should have got stabilized
living small portion to take care at closing stage.
Weep holes and perforated pipes to be laid for drainage.
Grow herbaceous plants, Bamboo, Besharam etc.
Detail volume of work, time scheduling, financial
involvement.
Take care of acid generating potential leaching
potentiality, toxicity, radio activeness and combustible
substance in dump ingredient.
Aim for stable aesthetically balanced appearance.
Top Soil Management

Most top soils would be utilised during mining for

concurrent reclamation.
Enrich top soil by treated sewerage sludge or soil with
high organic content.
Make final profile with scrapper or haul truck and
grader. Spread over top soil of 0.3 m.
Detail manpower, equipment, time schedule and finance
requirement.
 Generation of Vegetation Cover
Different species commensurating with the climatic
condition.
Water resource availability and
Matching with surrounding and primary requirement of the
rapid growth of the vegetation
Planning in terms of preparation, species identification, time
framing. Monitoring, financial evolution for this purpose
Vegetation cover is not the only method of rehabilitation of
land. Attempt rehabilitation by generating water resources,
pisciculture, picnic spots good for people around.
Key areas are management of safety, maintenance and
social use.
Concern of the People at Closure.

Fine tune the expectation and future involvement of

people in infrastructure, landscaping, recreational
facilities of the mine.
Amalgamate expanding resources of local
administration and continued use of buildings,
drainage, electrical distribution, water supply line,
educational facilities, health programmes and
community development resources.
Dismantle, decommission, dispose off structures,
equipments, scraps, hazardous waste, reagents,
chemicals and such other items not required
afterwards.
Security of the Area

With the stoppage of the production of the

mining project possible reduction in
manpower concerning security and
vigilance may induce theft and vandalism.
Required fencing, closing, locking, moving
away potential valuable equipments with
continuance of essential guards should be
planned till the management of the area is
handed over to the local authorities.
Documentation

As the heritage of the country requires

history of the mine with other details to be
retained for future reference either for the
mining community or for the social
administration as may be required may be
prepared for continuity of the records for
the heritage and should be included in the
final mine closure document.
 Infrastructure
Existing facilities –
Roads
Railways
Aerial ropeways
conveyer belts
Power lines
Buildings & structures
Water treatment plant
Transport
Water supply sources in the area etc.
Infrastructure-continued…
If retained –
measures for their physical stability
and maintenance to be ensured

If decommissioning proposed -
dismantling and disposal of-
Building structures
Support facilities
Electric transmission line
Water line
Gas pipeline
Infrastructure-continued…
Water works
Sewer line
Underground tanks
Transportation infrastructure e.g.
Roads
Rail
Bridges
Culverts etc
Electrical Infrastructures Like
Electrical Cables,Transformers
Disposal of Mining Machinery

• Decommissioning of mining machineries

• Possible post mining utilization
Risk Analysis
Risk assessment is a common factor applicable
to all stages of a mine life cycle.
Environmental Risk
Safety and Health Risk
Community and social Risk
Final Land Use Risk
Legal and Financial Risk
Technical Risk
Sum total of such risk is known as Closure Risk
Factor.
 Risk factors-continued…
The risk factors judgment may require in terms of
absolute decision on the following factors.
1. Environmental objective in line with the best practice
and the company policy.
2. Sufficient funds to cover closure.
3. Employee entitlements.
4. Personnel to manage and to implement the closure
process.
5. Approach of the community to the process.
6. Optimum resource extraction in line with the
economic model.
7. Public safety issues.
 Different nature of the risk details to be
given
in the mine closure plan are as follows :
Environmental Risk in Water
Surface Water
Sedimentation
Chemical pollution
Drainage
Acid mine drainage (AMD)/heavy metals
Salinity Ground Water
Contamination
Drawdown
Environmental values (down stream use)
Agricultural
Drinking
Eco-system
In Air Gas
Greenhouse emission
Other emissions
Dust From Tailings
Stock piles
Rehabilitated areas
Land system Visual amenity
Close to the population center or main roads
Remote infrastructure
Buildings, equipments, camps
Roads
Stock piles, dumps, dams, sumps,
Soil Contamination
Erosion potential
Reshaping/earth work
Flora reshaping Simple
Complex
Rare/significant
Fauna reestablishment
Aquatic
Void Open
Back filled
Subsidence Exploration
Management/Monitoring
Wastes Dumps
Reshaping
Covers
Acid Mine drainage
Topography
Seismicity
Climate
Tailings
Acid mine drainage toxicity
Stability
Hazardous chemical including cyanide, fuels, lubricants
DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Planned for high risk accidents like

 Subsidence,
 Landslides,
 Inundation,
 Fire,
 Earthquake,
 Tailing dam failures etc.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT-
Continued…

Also includes action plan for

unplanned discontinuance of mining
operations for maintaining status of mine
to be reopened in future days. Such
precautionary measures to be taken at
that point and to remain in surveillance
so that failure of slopes or any incident as
indicated to be high risk incident to be
reported for initiating action on disaster
management action plan.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT-

Continued…
Disaster management plan should include:
Different activities to be taken up
immediately either simultaneously or in series
of actions.
Responsibilities to be earmarked for
particular officers and resources to be indicated
to be drawn meeting emergency situation.
Assistance from local civic bodies are to be
recognized to be initiated during the period for
successful management.
Overall supervision by control room
manned by specific responsible authorities.
 FINANCIAL ASSURANCE
Financial assurance is the financial surety to be
furnished by the lessee to the Regional Controller of
Mines or to the officer authorized by the State Govt.
as the case may be so as to indemnify the authority in
the form guarantee by bank or any other financial
institutions. The amount of surety to be deposited
should be computed based on the area put to use for
mining and allied activities. It should be estimated 5
years progressively basis on the basis of conceptual
plan submitted with an addition of area to be
excavated during five year period minus the area
already rehabilited. The financial guarantee given
should be irrevocable and encashable when needed.
FINANCIAL ASSURANCE(Contd.)
Area put to use for mining and allied activities may be
as follows:
Areas to be excavated, storage for top soil,
overburden dump, minerarl storage, infrastructure
(road, railway, workshop etc.) green belt, tailing
pond, effluent treatment plant, mineral processing
plant, township, others (to specify). The estimation
should be carried out as follows:
A category mines – Rs.25000 per hectare to the
minimum of Rs.2 lakhs.
B category mines - Rs.15000 per hectare to the
minimum of Rs.1 lakh.
FINANCIAL ASSURANCE (Contd.)
The financial assurance/guarantee as per rule
should be submitted in any of the following
forms or in combination of them.
Letter of credit from any schedule bank.
Performance or surety bond
Trust fund
Any other form of security/guarantees
acceptable to the authorities
 FINANCIAL ASSURANCE
(Contd.)
Letter of credit is an agreement between financial
institutions and a company authorizing the bank to pay
funds to a third party
Trust fund : Such type of trust fund probably has not yet
been established. However, if any guarantee given from
such trusts so established for the purpose, that may be
acceptable.
Any other form of security/guarantee: In the form of
mortgage of the property by the applicant or by a third
party or any other form as acceptable by the competent
authority i.e. N.S.C., Fixed Deposit, infrastructure
bondsetc.
FINANCIAL ASSURANCE (Contd.)

CLAUSE OF AGREEMENT

The clause of agreement should be

such that guarantee given should be
irrevocable and encashable when
needed.
 CERTIFICATE
“The mine closure plan completes all statutory
rules, regulations, orders made by the central
or state govt., statutory organizations, court etc.
has been taken into consideration and wherever
specific permission is required the concerned
authorities will be approached. I also give an
undertaking to the effect that all measures
proposed in this closure plan will be
implemented in a time bound manner”.
 DOCUMENTATION
The report should be concise and may be
written in clear and simple language.
Calculation details , analysis reports, and other
data should be attached as
appendices/annexures. Only results and
summarized statistics are to be presented in
the body of the text. Closure plan should be
first submitted in draft form( two copies) to the
Regional Controller of Mines and finally it has
to be submitted in five copies for approval.
 PLANS, SECTIONS ,ETC.
The closure plan should be supplemented
with all the plans, sections, sketches/
drawings required for implementation of
rehabilitation work as envisaged under
various chapters of the guidelines of Mine
Closure Plan already circulated. In addition
to the requisite plans and sections where
possible photographs of the sites, satellite
images etc., may also be provided.