Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

IMPACT OF LIMESTONE MINING ACTIVITY ON SO I1 PROPERTIES

Md. Ajaz All Khan, P. Prabhu Prasadinr and T. Ramesh

Abstract

Dust emanated from the limestone mining activity gets deposited on the soil surface over a period of time in the vicinity of the mining activity.A study was conducted on the impact of dust on properties of soil close to the mining activity in comparison with soils in I km + distance. It was found that there was signi ficant increase in pH close (I km) to the mining activity. In general available N, P and K values were lower in soils close to (1 km) the mining activity compared to that of soils in I km+ zone.The change was significant in case of Nitrogen content which could be due to cultivation of exhaustive crops without applying enough fertilizers. Exchangeable Ca and Mg content were significantly higher in soils close (1 km) to the mining activity compared to soils in I km + zone.This could be cumulative effect of dust fall due to mining activity over a period of time. However, the changes in N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents were neither to deficiency or toxicity level.