Large limestone mines highly suitable for eco-restoration: Study
Each mine showcased unique characteristics, reflecting considerable diversity in both landscape features and vegetation types, the report said.
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CHENNAI: A study conducted by the State Planning Commission (SPC) and Auroville Botanical Services has identified limestone mines, which are usually large in size, as sites for effective restoration of mines as they offer ample room for restoration.
According to the report, ‘Mapping Mines in Tamil Nadu: Assessing Their Restoration Potential’, a favourable base for plantations is available in limestone mines as the mineral is generally found mixed with soil and layers of sandstone. But in granite mines, the base is mostly hard rocks leaving less opportunity for massive greening.
During the study, experts covered 37 out of the initially identified 40 sites. Each mine showcased unique characteristics, reflecting considerable diversity in both landscape features and vegetation types, the report said. Among the mines, the ones in Walayar, Dholipatti, Periyathirukonam, Maravaperungudi, Ottakovil and Alathiyur have high restoration.
On the other hand, Sevathur vermiculite mine, and the limestone mine in Periyanagalur, Ananthavadi, and Devarmalai, the magnesite mine in Chettichavadi and Kurumambatty, and Mangarasavalapalayam granite mine have moderate potential for restoration.
Moreover, the report recommends profiling and data organisation of all mines in TN, urgently, to facilitate large-scale land-use planning and having up-to-date information to streamline the study and planning process for restoration and planning at the state level. Suggesting the usage of AI (Artificial Intelligence), the report added that though the study was able to map the locations of numerous mines across TN accurately, the specific types of each mine remain undetermined.
“This highlights the potential for AI-driven support to aid in mine-type identification. The next phase of the study should look to develop this further,” the report added.
It may be noted that the TN Climate Change Mission has already initiated measures to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) to ecologically restore an abandoned limestone mine in Madukkarai in Coimbatore.