Tata Steel has always adopted effective measures in improving its processes and adopted every necessary measure to ensure that negative consequences in its environmental performance are minimised. All its mines are ISO-14001-Environmental Management System Certified. In addition to conducting massive tree plantation campaigns, location specific environmental management initiatives have also been taken.
Initiatives in Scientific Mining and Conservation of Mineral :
he computerised Central Mine Planning Cell was set up in the year 1989, with the facilities of Surpac Mine Planning Software, Total Station survey instrument and other ancillary facilities. Also, the inductively Coupled Plasma Analyser Unit s have been installed in the mines for accurate grade control along with GPS based Truck Dispatch Systems.
Other milestones in specific mines include:
Joda East Iron Mine :
Iron Ore Beneficiation plant with zero discharge slime dam was commissioned in 1994.
Commissioning of Hydrocyclone Plant to recover Iron value from the slime in the year 2005.
Processing of BHJ/BHQ as a trail for replacing quartzite in Blast Furnace in 2007.
Katamati Iron Mine :
Complete mechanisation of the mine was done in the year 2001.
Commissioning of Jig Plant in 2005 at Noamundi Iron Mine to beneficiate ore of Katamati.
Commissioning of Hydrocyclone Plant in 2005 at Noamundi for iron-ore beneficiation.
Commissioning of Dry Crushing and Screening Plant in 2005.
Khandband Iron and Manganese Mine:
The Iron Ore section was mechanised in 1998.
Commissioning of Dry Crushing and Screening Plant in 1998.
Reclamation of mined out area by backfilling by waste.
Initiatives in Air Quality Management:
The Joda East Iron Mine, Katamati Iron Mine and Khandband Iron and Manganese Mine have installed the following measures in their operations for effective air quality management in the region:
Professionally managed Environment Monitoring Cell at centrally located at Noamundi, which measures the environment parameters. Besides the in-house monitoring, quarterly monitoring is being done by IIT, Kharagpur.
Use of drills provided with dust extraction and dust suppression systems.
Water sprinkling with 35 KL sprinklers on in-pit haul roads, working faces and stacking yards, if any developed later.
Plantation to restrict the propagation of fugitive dust generated.
Auto-emission checks on vehicles at regular interval.
Maintenance of mining equipment.
Initiatives in Water Quality Management:
Initiatives undertaken by the OMQ division in water quality management include:
Stabilisation of dumps with plantation.
Construction of toewalls.
Construction of garland drains.
Four check dams have been built in Joda and one each at Katamati and Khandband mines.
Re-use of water recovered from slime dam a Joda mines.
Land reclamation and afforestation in mine areas:
Hills no. 1 and 2 of Noamundi have been reclaimed.
The Sir Dorabji Tata Botanical Park at Noamundi has been developed on wasteland
‘Goaf’ areas at Khondbond Mines have been filled up.
Green belts have been constructed around ore crushing plants at Joda East, Khondbond and Gomardih.
Slopes of slime dams at Noamundi and Joda East have been planted with trees.
Plantation drives are carried out in barren areas within the leases and in adjoining townships & office complexes.
The Sukinda Chromite Mine has always been committed to improve its environmental performance through systematic planning and timely execution of measures. It happens to be the first mine in the world to be certified under Quality Management System (SA 8000) and the first in the valley to be certified under Quality Management System ( ISO 9001:2000). It is also certified under Environment Management System (ISO 14001:2004) and Occupation Health and Safety Management System (OHSAS 18001:1999) to ensure environment al sustenance in areas of operation.
Some of the measures adopted by the Sukinda mine have been discussed below.
Initiatives in Scientific Mining and Conservation of Mineral:
The mine has taken a pioneering role in preventing soil erosion and stabilizing the dump slope faster through advanced methods of land reclamation. Steps taken include:
Overburden generated from the mine area is scientifically deposited on geographically barren land. Different materials are stored separately.
Coir-mats and topsoil are used to cover filled-out areas and then followed by vegetation to improve the ecological condition.
Density of plantation is minimum 2500 in number per hectare.
Garland drains are constructed with settling pits to prevent soil washout.
Sufficient care is taken to prevent formation of gullies.
Each depositing/dumping site has a proper approach road and facilities for dozing, grading etc.
Waste Management Measures
Waste oil from vehicles, transformer oil and grease are properly collected in designed trays and stored in closed containers.
Oil catch pits are in place to recover oil in case of spillage.
Vehicle-washed water is filtered and re-cycled for further use.
Sludge drying beds are provided for drying the oily sludge.
Vegetable waste and food waste from the canteen and other places are processed in two bio-gas plants and later used as manure for the plants.
Initiatives in Air Quality Management:
Tata Steel takes special care to improve the ambient air quality of the mine, camp and nearby village areas. Specific measures include;
Installation of stationery automatic dust suppression system on the main haul road.
Mobile sprinklers are used to reduce dust within the leasehold area and also outside it.
Wet drilling is in practice to prevent soil erosion in the overburden dump areas.
A green barrier has been created by planting trees on both sides of roads in the mine area.
Wet process in chrome ore beneficiation plant is followed.
Air quality survey is done twice in a week whereas personal dust sampling is carried out once in a month at five locations.
Initiatives in Water Quality Management:
Treatment of Hexavalent Chromium (Cr+6) - Tata Steel has been the pioneer in the field of developing methodology for Cr+6 treatment with the help of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). In chromite mines, the ore deposit is such that in order to obtain the ore, downward excavation extends below the groundwater level, thereby contaminating the water that inevitably seeps in and comes in contact with the excavated surface. The water is loaded with suspended solids and hexavalent chromium, which is suspected to be carcinogenic. The pathbreaking technology used to solve this problem involves the following measures:
Installation of a full-fledged Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) with auto ferrous sulphate dosing facility and horizontal roughing filters for reduction of hexavalent chromium and removal of suspended solids.
The rate of reduction is monitored every hour and dose of ferrous sulphate solution controlled accordingly.
Other initiatives in water quality management include:
Treatment of water from the garland drain in two separate treatment plants.
Treated water is discharged out of leasehold areas for use by local villagers in irrigation and cultivation activities.
Water from Damshala nullah is treated in drinking water treatment plant of capacity 20,000 gallon/hr.
A sewage treatment plant improves the quality of sewage water, which is then recycled for growing plants.
Eco-restoration
Tata Steel undertakes plantation programmes on a regular basis both within the leasehold through Company personnel and outside through TSRDS. More than ten lakh saplings have been planted and maintained in the area for ecological development. A forestry nursery has been developed with a capacity of raising one lakh saplings per annum and an ornamental plant nursery is also maintained for the purpose.
The Ferro Alloy Plant at Bamnipal is the first unit in Tata Steel Group to achieve ISO 9001. It is also certified for revised version, i.e. ISO 9001:2000 and both EMS 14001:2004 & OHSAS 18001:2007 by IRQS, Kolkata.
Initiatives in Air Quality Management:
The Ferro Alloy plant at Bamnipal is fitted with two wet ventury scrubber systems in the Arc Furnace. The gas generated from furnace is passed through ventury scrubber in order to precipitate all suspended solids.
The clean gas is collected and reused as fuel (as CO % is high) at other consumer points and excess gas is sent back to the atmosphere through a 40 m high stack. This is monitored every month.
An efficient dust collection system and water sprinklers are used to suppress the dust.
Ambient air monitoring (24Hr basis) at different points is carried out both in plant and colonies to monitor the SPM & RPM.
Initiatives in Water Quality Management:
The use of water is limited to cooling requirements and no effluents are generated. The water that is sent outside has zero discharge and is re-circulated and reused after treatment
Both industrial & drinking water are tested on a monthly basis through an OSPCB certified agency.
There is a specific area designed for dumping of GCP sludge within plant premises.
An impervious lined pond is in process of being constructed to avoid ground contamination.
Waste Management
As per EMS procedure used oils are collected in barrels and stored at designated sheds that are covered and are auctioned to authorised parties on a monthly basis and the return submitted to OSPCB.
Same procedure is applied for used batteries, which are auctioned when required.
R&D activities are going on for utilization of Ferro chrome slag.
The manufacturing process for the plant to be set up at Kalinganagar will involve conventional blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace methods utilising advanced and improved technology with superior pollution control equipment to make the route environment friendly. To minimise the adverse effect on environment, specific remedial measures have been part of the proposed Environment Management Plan (EMP) that is an integral to the project at Kalinganagar. Three basic objectives incorporated are:
1.To comply with the environment protection regulations
2.To ensure that adverse impacts on baseline are minimised.
3.To fulfil the corporate social responsibility for environment protection
Some of the important EMP proposals suggested in different areas of environment sustainability include -
Land Environment Management
Optimum utilisation of the core zone land in developing the plant general layout
Landscaping the unpaved area of core zone for better aesthetic appeal
Water Environment Management
Minimising water consumption through recycling of treated wastewater from every unit.
Storage of treated coke oven effluent for reuse within the plant.
Reusing cooling tower blow-down water for slag quenching.
Air Environment Management
Implementing measures for controlling fugitive dust control.
Controlling emissions of SO2, NOx, and carbon monoxide and recycling of waste flue gas in the combustion system.
Air conditioning and ventilation of control rooms, pulpits and shop building.
Selection of low noise prone rotary equipment, vibration dampening and housing high noise prone equipment separately.
Solid Waste Management
Recycling of collected dusts, sludge, mill scales to the sinter plant.
100% granulation of BF slag and using it for cement.
Maximum utilisation of BOF slag in steel making.
Modular stacking of slag in dump yards with garland drain to arrest monsoon run offs.
Greenbelt Development
Peripheral greenbelt development with local plant species.
