(1)

In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) "abandonment of mine " means the final closure of a mine, either whole or part thereof, when the mineral deposits within the mine or part thereof have been fully extracted or when the mining operations thereon have become uneconomic;

(b) "Act " means the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957);

(c) "authorized officer " means - (i) an officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines duly authorised in writing by the Controller General, Indian Bureau of Mines; or (ii) an officer authorised in this behalf by the State Government to perform the functions under these rules; or (iii) an officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research authorized in writing by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, to perform the functions under these rules in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016;

(d) "beneficiation " means processing of minerals or ores for the purpose of upgrading the quality, purity or assay grade of the desired product by removing unwanted constituents like gangue minerals or tailings;

(e) "calibrated lump ore " means the sized ore that is obtained after screening or crushing of the run-of-mine ore;

(f) "Chief Controller of Mines " means the Chief Controller of Mines of the Indian Bureau of Mines;

(g) "competent authority " means the competent authority referred to in rule 10;

(h) "Controller General " means the Controller General of the Indian Bureau of Mines;

(i) "Controller of Mines " means the Controller of Mines of the Indian Bureau of Mines;

(j) "cores " means the samples of sub-surface rocks or mineralised zone obtained during drilling of boreholes;

(k) "development " means the driving of an opening to or in an ore-body or seam or removing overburden or unproductive or waste materials as preparatory to mining or stoping;

(l) "environment " and "environmental pollution " shall have the same meanings as assigned respectively to them in the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986);

(m) "final mine closure plan " means a plan for the purpose of decommissioning, reclamation and rehabilitation of a mine or part thereof after cessation of mining and mineral processing operations, that has been prepared in the manner specified in the standard format and guidelines issued by the Indian Bureau of Mines or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016;

(n) "final mine closure " means steps taken for reclamation and rehabilitation of a mine or part thereof commencing from cessation of mining or processing operations in a mine or part thereof;

(o) "financial assurance " means the security or guarantee furnished by the holder of a mining lease in accordance with rule 27;

(p) "Form " means a Form set forth in the Schedule;

(q) "geologist " means a person appointed by the holder of a mineral concession to perform the duties of a geologist under these rules;

(r) "mining engineer " means a person appointed by the holder of a mineral concession to perform the duties of a mining engineer under these rules;

(s) "mineral rejects " include all the excavated materials that do not constitute useful material, which may be rejected either on the basis of grade or size;

(t) "progressive mine closure plan " means a progressive plan for the purpose of providing protective, reclamation and rehabilitation measures in a mine or part thereof that has been prepared in the manner specified in the standard format and guidelines issued by Indian Bureau of Mines or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, from time to time;

(u) "Regional Controller " means the Regional Controller of Mines of the Indian Bureau of Mines;

(v) "schedule " means the schedule annexed to these rules;

(w) "section " means a section of the Act;

(x) "shaft " means a vertical or inclined way or opening leading from the surface to workings below ground or from one part of the workings below ground to another and includes an incline;

(y) "stoping " means making any underground excavation other than development working made for the purpose of winning ores or minerals and includes extraction or splitting or reduction of pillars or blocks of minerals;

(z) "temporary discontinuance " means the planned or unplanned suspension of mining operations in a mine or part thereof and where the operations are likely to be resumed not earlier than one hundred and twenty days; and

(2)

Words and expressions used but not defined herein shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in the Act or the rules made thereunder.