Slope Protection
2020
MURI - JHARKHAND - India
Hindalco Industries Limited (HIL)
EROSION CONTROL MEASURES TRIAL AT HINDALCO’S MURI PLANT
Photo 2: Prewatering done
Photo 3: Application of MacGanics
EROSION CONTROL MEASURES TRIAL AT HINDALCO’S MURI PLANT_2
Photo 5: Vegetation establishment
Photo 6: Summary of trials
Problem
HIL has an aluminium plant in Muri, Jharkhand. The by-product of aluminium extraction process- red mud, gets dumped in a dumping yard. The man made slope of dumped red mud was getting eroded due to the flow of surface runoff. The red mud is highly alkaline in nature and its physical and chemical properties can limit the plant growth due to high alkalinity and salinity. The trial location identified over the area of dumped soil (over burden at the mining location) which was getting transported via wind causing severe environmental pollution of surrounding areas and was getting eroded in monsoon season, triggering rain cuts. To protect the slope from erosion, bio-engineering measures were required to be adopted. The objective of the trial was to find out the feasibility and effectiveness of using Hydraulically Applied Erosion Control solutions on the dump soil, ensuring the vegetation growth for long term erosion control.
Solution
To protect the slope, Maccaferri suggested Hydraulically Applied Erosion Control materials – MacFlex, MacGanics and other agronomic amendments such as AquapHix, Jumpstart and Bioprime. As part of the trial, project area of 1,000 sqm was selected, split into 10 bays and the above mentioned products along with different combination of seeds were applied on the slope. Trials with top soil, flyash, red mud and other combinations were performed. Agronomic soil tests had been conducted to determine the soil nutrients condition to measure soil’s ability to supply essential elements to seeds, to recommend the amendment to improve soil, to ensure appropriate plant species selection. The solution has been decided according to these tests.