Economic mineral resources lying in the earth are necessary ingredients of all our modern conveniences. Its mining yields huge profits for the companies that own them, a source of revenue for the government, and provides employment to a large number of people. Nevertheless, getting at them comes at a price on the environment with externalities such as pollution, erosion, destruction of natural ecosystem etc. Mining affects all the components of environment and the impacts are permanent/temporary, beneficial/harmful, repairable/irreparable, but irreversible.