Between 1991 and 1994, the Earth Resources Centre, University of Exeter (UK), and the Visvesvaraya Regional College of Engineering (now VNIT), Nagpur (India), collaborated on an environmental assessment of opencast copper and manganese mining in central India, with special reference to the  impact of mining on tropical forest. The project was funded by the British Council as part of its Higher Education Link programme.

The project included a study of the chemical and physical impacts of the Malajkhand Copper Project (above) and Dongri Buzurg Manganese Mine (below), both large opencast mines, and, taking account of the socio-economic aspects of mineral development, made recommendations for improved environmental protection in forest areas.

The project culminated in an International Symposium on Impact of mining on the environment: problems and solutions, which took place in Nagpur, 11th -16th January 1994, the proceedings of which were published by Oxford & IBH Publishers (New Delhi) and A.A. Balkema (Rotterdam)^[1]. Continuing co-operation between Exeter and Nagpur following the end of the project included the organisation of a second international symposium on Geoenvironmental Reclamation, which took place in Nagpur in November 2000 (procedings also published by Oxford & IBH and Balkema)^[2].

In April 2003, the University of Exeter (Camborne School of Mines) and VNIT Nagpur began a study of The mine environment and human health, again under the auspices on the British Council's Higher Education Link programme. The new project continues until March 2006.
 

[1] Paithankar, Anand (Editor), 1994. Impact of Mining on the Environment: Problems and Solutions - Proceedings of the International Symposium 1994. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi. ISBN 8120408713.
[2] Paithankar, A. G., Jha, P. K. and Agarwal, R. K. (Editors), 2000. Geoenvironmental Reclamation: Proceedings of the International Conference, Nagpur, India, 20-22 November 2000. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. ISBN 9058092194.
 
 

For further information contact:

Dr Mike Heath
Camborne School of Mines
University of Exeter
Pool
Redruth
Cornwall TR15 3SE (UK)

Direct tel/fax: 01209-216647
International: 00 44 1209 216647
email: M.J.Heath@exeter.ac.uk