Calcareous Sands from a Coral Atoll-Should It Be Mined or Not?     

T. K. Mallik 《Marine Georesources & Geotechnology》1999,17(1):27-32

Many lagoons of coral atolls contain huge reserves of very pure calcareous sands in an easily exploitable form that can be used in a number of industries. It is well known that the geomorphic situation in these coral islands is very delicate. With reference to the calcareous sand deposits in the coral atolls of Lakshadweep, a diversity of opinion exists on the aspect of exploitation, though the reserves were proved more than 20 years ago. Elsewhere calcareous sands have been used for several purposes. No raw materials other than coral sands and corals are available in these islands for developmental work such as construction of building and jetties. Several recommendations have been made to keep the system undisturbed to maintain the ecosystem. It is suggested that an attempt should be made to determine an optimum depth of exploitation of these sands without affecting the reef growth and balance of the ecosystem. This will improve the island economy and better quality of life for the islanders. The strategy will help development elsewhere also.  相似文献