India's mining and metals sector requires a renewed examination of environmental compliance norms as escalating exploration costs and the depletion of high-grade mineral reserves create new pressures for the industry, experts stated on Thursday, according to PTI.
Environmental Clearances and Emissions
The sector, estimated to account for up to 7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, currently mandates environmental clearances before mining activities can commence. Industry voices highlighted that the challenge is shifting from emissions alone to the rising cost and complexity of extracting lower-grade and deeper mineral resources.
Industry Perspectives on Resource Depletion
The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) noted that India has limited or no established reserves of several critical and deep-seated minerals. With growing emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, there is a need to revisit the existing regulatory framework to make mineral and metal extraction more viable.
Malu Kamble, Managing Director of KEP Engineering Services, remarked, "With mining and metals contributing up to seven percent of global emissions, the real pressure point ahead is resource depletion."
Pavan Kaushik, co-founder of Gurukshetra Consultancy, observed that the sector is entering a structurally different phase as depletion of high-grade deposits alters both sustainability outcomes and extraction economics. "We are moving into an era where mineral quality is declining. This means more earth must be disturbed, more water must be drawn, and more energy must be consumed to extract the same value. The cost of extraction—both economic and environmental—will only increase from here," he said.
Sustainability Frameworks and Compliance
Kaushik noted that sustainability systems have become more structured under global frameworks, including those shaped by the United Nations, but still operate largely within compliance boundaries. "Environmental clearances, mine closure plans and ESG disclosures define the industry's licence to operate. But they are designed for compliance within defined limits—not for managing cumulative ecological stress or long-term resource depletion," he explained.
Calling for policy changes, he stated that present systems may not be calibrated for future realities of falling resource quality. "For policymakers, the challenge is to move from static thresholds to dynamic frameworks that recognise regional carrying capacity. Water, land and biodiversity cannot be managed in silos when extraction intensity is rising," he said.
"For miners, the next phase will not be about extracting more; it will be about extracting smarter. Value per tonne will matter more than volume per tonne. This requires rethinking mine planning, beneficiation, waste utilisation and progressive closure from the outset," he added.
Company Initiatives and Water Management
Harish Duhan, CMD of Coal India arm South Eastern Coalfields Ltd, mentioned that the company plans "calibrated reductions" in greenhouse gas emissions through solar projects, energy efficiency, plantations, and better first-mile connectivity to mines.
On water management, Kamble emphasized that sustainability in mining would increasingly depend on reuse and treatment systems. "As extraction intensity rises, wastewater generation will increase proportionately. The industry must move from treatment as a compliance requirement to treatment as a resource recovery system, where every drop is reused, not discharged," he said.
He added that technology and intent must go hand in hand. "Zero liquid discharge and advanced treatment systems are no longer optional in high-impact sectors like mining and metals. The real benchmark will be how efficiently industries close the loop between extraction, processing and water reuse," Kamble said.
The Essential Role of Mining
Kaushik stressed that mining remains essential for infrastructure, energy, and industrial growth. "Mining is not optional, it underpins infrastructure, energy systems and industrial growth. It supports millions of livelihoods. The question is not whether to mine, but how responsibly it is done in the context of finite and depleting resources," he said.
He argued that sustainability must move beyond site-level metrics to broader accountability. "A mining operation can be compliant within its boundary and still create stress outside it. Water neutrality at the site level means little if the region is water-scarce. This gap between compliance and consequence is where the real issue lies," he said.
With India among the world's largest producers of coal and iron ore, and demand expected to rise, Kaushik noted that the country has a chance to redefine how mining coexists with nature. "The future of mining will not be defined by compliance alone, but by how responsibly we manage depletion. The cost of ignoring this reality will be far higher than the cost of addressing it today," he added.
