Govt exempts tailing recycling in mines from fresh green clearance

In a major relief to the mining sector, the government has exempted recycling of tailings within existing mine leases from the requirement of fresh environmental clearance (EC), according to sources.

The move, aimed at promoting sustainable practices and reducing regulatory bottlenecks, will allow mining companies to process and reuse tailings — the residual waste material from ore extraction — without waiting for additional EC approvals, the sources told PTI.

Tailings recycling involves reprocessing mine waste to recover valuable minerals, water, or other resources, helping minimise environmental impact and optimise resource use.

Vedanta group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Kishor Kumar S welcomed the move and said this will help the industry to work freely.

Industry experts said earlier, even activities like tailing recycling within approved mine areas required separate EC, leading to delays.

The development comes at time when the country is ramping up mining activities to support energy transition.