TN: Mineral testing mandatory before disposal of weathered quarry rocks

CHENNAI: In a move aimed at preventing the illegal extraction of valuable minerals and protecting State revenue, the Tamil Nadu government has tightened regulations governing the disposal of weathered rocks in minor mineral quarries, making laboratory testing mandatory before such material can be removed.

The new procedure has been notified through a Gazette dated July 23, by the Natural Resources Department, amending the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959.

Until now, quarry operators were permitted to dispose of weathered rocks, formed due to prolonged exposure to climatic conditions, without any structured verification mechanism. The amended rules introduce a scientific assessment process before any such material is cleared from quarry sites.

According to the notification, whenever a mineral concession holder proposes to dispose of weathered rough stone identified in the approved mining plan, a report analysing its mineral composition must first be obtained from the laboratory of the Directorate of Geology and Mining.

"Whenever a mineral concession holder proposes to dispose of the 'weathered rough stone' reported in the approved mining plan, a report on the analysis of the mineral constituents of weathered rock by the laboratory of the Directorate of Geology and Mining shall be submitted," the notification said.

If laboratory analysis establishes the presence of high-value minerals, the material can be disposed of only in accordance with the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, after payment of the applicable seigniorage fee. However, if no valuable minerals attracting a higher seigniorage fee are detected, the material may be disposed of as ordinary weathered rough stone.

The amendments also revise the definition of building and road construction materials/stones other than granite to explicitly include weathered rough stone, khandas, boulders, size-reduced materials such as broken and crushed stone, metal jelly, ballast, millstone and hand chakkais.