"Development of Mining in Goa and its environmental impacts – A Geographical Perspective"

Abstract

Mining is the process of taking out minerals from the earth crust. Mineral is an inorganic substance, which is freely occurring in the nature. The significance of mining industry is rapidly increasing over the years in this modern age of machinery to meet growing needs of population of the world. Prior to liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule, only a few small industrial units existed in the state The major economic activity was confined to the mining of Iron ore and manganese ore. Mining has been the important element in the economy history of modern Goa. It still plays an important role in employment generation and earning foreign exchange to the state. The state of Goa is richly endowed with Iron Ore and Bauxite are the most explored minerals. The mining covers approximately 700 sq.km almost 19% of total geographical area in  the state carried out in Bicholim taluk of North Goa district and Salcete, Sanguem taluk  and Quepem  taluk of South Goa district. Mining and associated activities have greatly affected the natural landscape in and around these areas which is characterized by the presence of pits and waste rejects and dust pollution enormously. Therefore the attempt has been made to study in this paper the growth of mining industry and its several environmental and economic consequences in the state of Goa.