By Bizodisha, Bhubaneswar, May 11, 2017 : Mining activities could increase its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by at least two per cent and minor minerals can play a major role in this, aluminium major National Aluminium company Ltd (NALCO), CMD Tapan Kumar Chand said on Thursday.

“Mining activity has the potential to contribute one to two per cent more to the GDP and statistics reveal that minor minerals have immense scope in enhancing that contribution,” Chand said while speaking at the 17th Annual Geominetech Conference here.

Chand said tremendous changes have been brought in the mining activity in the recent past with respect to policy, transparency in allotment of mines through auction process, monitoring, District Mineral Fund, National Mineral Exploration Fund and surveillance on illegal mining.

While mentioning that mining operations are adopting scientific methods and focusing on conservation, he said NALCO’s bauxite mining is a fine testimony to environmentally positive practices of mining.

“In once flat plateau where there was little or no plantation, we have planted 7.8 million trees and today have a lush forest in our mined out areas. Besides we also are processing the overburden from our mines and this will add nearly 60 million tonnes of bauxite to our resource base,” the NALCO CMD added.

Mining companies, he said, have the social responsibility of ensuring minimal disruption of the eco-system and this can be ensured only by adopting scientific methods. “Transparency, inclusive growth and sustainable mining should be the factors that guide all mining activities so that the community in also on board,” he said.

The conference was attended by veteran mining professionals who felicitated Chand as the Best CEO for promoting probity, integrity, transparency and inclusive growth, a Nalco release said.