Section 35 in The Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017
35. Sustainable mining.
(1)Every holder of a mining lease shall take all possible precautions for undertaking sustainable mining while conducting prospecting, mining, beneficiation or metallurgical operations in the area.(2)Every holder of a mining lease shall monitor his mining and allied activities as per the notified template of star rating in the format prescribed in this behalf by the Indian Bureau of Mines from time to time, and shall submit online its selfassessment report before the 1st day of July every year for the previous financial year, alongwith the soft copy (in the standard format), of high resolution satellite images obtained from CARTOSAT-2 satellite LISS-IV sensor on the scale of cadastral map, as on the 31st day of March for that financial year, covering the mining lease and an area of two kilometres. from the lease boundary, to the Regional Controller or the authorised officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines.(3)The confirmation of the star rating may be done by the authorised officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines through inspection.(4)[ The Regional Controller or the authorised officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines may suspend the mining operations in those mines where at least three star rating has not been achieved within a period of four years with effect from the 27th February, 2017 or four years from the date of commencement of mining operations, as the case may be, after giving a show cause notice of forty-five days, to qualify for star rating]; [Substituted by Notification No. G.S.R. 570(E), dated 13.8.2019 (w.e.f. 27.2.2017).](5)The suspension shall be revoked only after verification through inspection of compliance of the star rating requirement specified in sub-rule (4) that the mine qualifies for [three star rating] [Substituted 'four star rating' by Notification No. G.S.R. 570(E), dated 13.8.2019 (w.e.f. 27.2.2017).]:Provided that 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, the action for confirmation and compliance of star rating as provided in sub-rules (3), (4) and(5)shall be taken by the authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research.
