The demand for mineral has grown exponentially since independence due to rapid expansion in the industrial sector. The extraction of minerals is imperative for the national development. Most of the mineral deposits occur in the forested region of the country. Role of the forests has increasingly been appreciated in maintenance of ecological balance. So, there is an urgent need for compilation of comprehensive information on the mining activity in forest area to facilitate appropriate decision making. In this light, for formulation of long term strategy on forest conservation vis-à-vis mining activities, Ministry of Environment and Forests constituted a committee in March, 1998. One of the objectives was to assess the extent of forest cover in area leased for mining. The FSI, in collaboration with the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), Nagpur undertook the study. Four mineral rich states of Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh were selected for the study. The study focused on assessment of forest cover in areas leased for mining. The digital satellite data of IRS-1B (LISS II) and IRS-1C (LISS-III) of the period 1996-1998 were used. The study was done for five important metal minerals (Bauxite, Copper, Iron, Chromite and Manganese). Of the total production in the country, contribution of these 4 states are: Bauxite 76%, Chromite 97%, Copper 64%, Iron 57% and Manganese 55%. Mining of these metals cause environmental degradation

The study reveals that a total of 353 leases of these minerals covered an area of 90,695 ha. The extent of forest cover in the lease area is 53,217 ha, out of which 71% is dense forest and 29% is open forest

Forest cover in mining area by states and forest cover in mining areas by minerals are given in table 1 and 2 respectively

Table 1: Forest Cover in Mining Areas by State