Tungsten
Context:
Recently, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a special resolution inviting the Union government’s attention to revoke the tungsten mining rights granted to Hindustan Zinc Limited in Madurai district.
- The resolution also urged the Centre to refrain from issuing mining licenses without obtaining prior consent from the respective state governments.
Relevance:
GS-03 (Science and technology)
Background:
- The activists are opposing the tungsten mining project due its harmful effects on the biodiversity.
- Most of the people in the region depend on agriculture and local resources. They fear that this project would
threaten their livelihood. - However, the ministry of mines argue that the Nayakkarpatti Tungsten Block covering an area of over 20.16 sq. km. was put to auction after considering the Tamil Nadu government.
- Meanwhile, the ministry justified that the place was selected because of its richness in scheelite (a crucial ore for tungsten extraction).
- The ministry also claimed that the auction is a legal process under Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act of 1957.
Can the state government override the authority of the central government?
In matters of mining rights and environmental concerns, state governments cannot directly override the authority of the Union government. However, they have several mechanisms to influence or challenge Union decisions:
- Constitutional Framework:
- The Indian Constitution delineates powers between the Union and states.
- Mining regulation falls under the Union List, but environmental protection is included in the Concurrent List, giving states jurisdiction over local environmental issues.
- Environmental and biodiversity laws:
- States can leverage legislation like the Environmental Protection Act (1986) and the Biological Diversity Act (2002) to challenge mining projects.
- They can also enact state-specific laws to safeguard ecologically sensitive areas.
- State Assembly’s Role:
- State legislatures can pass resolutions opposing Union government actions.
- These resolutions, combined with public protests, can create political pressure on the Union.
- Judicial Review and Federal Coordination:
- States can approach the judiciary if Union decisions breach constitutional or environmental laws.
- While states cannot nullify central mining rights, cooperative federalism encourages consultation and coordination between the Union and states.
About Tungsten:
- Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth, almost exclusively as compounds with other elements.
- Scheelite and wolframite are the major ores of Tungsten. It occurs in rocks and minerals combined with other chemicals, but never as a pure metal.
- Tungsten is a free element, meaning it is not combined with or chemically bonded to other elements. Other examples of free elements include the oxygen molecule (O2), carbon, and the noble metals gold and platinum.
- Elemental tungsten is a white to steel grey metal (depending on the purity) that can be used in pure form or mixed with other metals to make alloys.
- Features:
- One of the densest metals, with a density of 19.3 g/cc
- Highest melting point of all metals at 3410 °C
- Lowest vapor pressure of all metals with 4.27 Pa at 3410 °C
- Highest tensile strength of all metals over 1650 °C
- Uses of Tungsten
- Material Properties: Strong, flexible, wear-resistant, and good electrical conductor.
- Industrial Applications: X-ray tubes, light bulbs, high-speed tools, welding electrodes, and turbine blades.
- Sports Equipment: golf clubs, darts, and fishing weights.
- Defence: Bullets and armour penetrators.
- Catalyst: It acts as a catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions.
- Major Producers: China, Vietnam, Russia, and North Korea.
- Strategic Importance: Classified as a Critical Mineral by the Indian government
