Bhubaneswar: With the rapid advancement of mining and industrialisation, there is a significant increase in the volume of pollutants in the environment, posing serious challenges to ecosystems and human health.
One of the major concerns happens to be the management of mining tailings, fine particles of waste materials that often contain water, mixed with heavy metals and other toxic substances.
Tailings dams are constructed in order to safely contain these materials and prevent environmental contamination and human hazards.
In this context, the Orissa Environmental Society (OES) organised a workshop on the theme ‘Towards Sustainable Tailings Dams: Bridging Indi an and International Practices’ at its conference hall recently.
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The programme was presided over by OES working president Jaya Krushna Panigrahi. Senior geotechnical engineer at AECOM, Arizona, USA, Bibhuti Bhusan Panda, joined as the chief speaker,r offered a comprehensive explanation of how tailings are generated during ore extraction processes and are stored in dams, typically constructed from earth or rock fill.
He emphasised the critical need for ensuring dam stability to avoid leakage or catastrophic failure, which can have devastating effects on both human populations and natural ecosystems.
“Odisha, being rich in mineral resources and experiencing a surge in mining activities, must prioritise the adoption of advanced geo-environmental practices for sustainable and safe waste management. Learning from global best practices can help reduce the environmental footprint of mining op erations,” Panda said.
In his presidential address, Panigrahi stressed the importance of meticulous planning and management of tailings dams to mitigate potential environmental and safety threats.
Outfit’s secretary Manoranjan Mishra delivered the welcome address, joint secretary Surabhi Jain introduced the guests, and vice president Lala AK Singh concluded the workshop with a vote of thanks.
Conducted in hybrid mode, the workshop saw active participation from OES president Sundara Narayana Patro, Krishna Chandra Sahu, VP Upadhyay, Chitta Ranjan Mishra, Ashok Behera, Bimal Mishra, Swapna Behera, Nimain Charan Mishra, Ramachandra Tripathy, and Sashi Bhusan Dash, among others.
They shared insights on various aspects of sustainable tailings dam management.
The workshop attracted many members of OES, along with professionals from the mining and industrial sectors, all committed to promoting sustainable practices in mining waste management.
PNN
