Question: Mining & Minerals – Commercialization of
Natural Resources – Displacement - Resistance – South India
Mining and minerals commercialization
in colonial South India capitalized on rich deposits, from gold in Kolar to bauxite
in the Eastern Ghats, displacing communities and inciting resistance from the
late 19th century. Policies under Viceroys like Lord Curzon from 1899
prioritized exports, transforming landscapes. This era, marked by 1857 Mysore
gold rush and beyond, integrated the south into global markets. In conclusion,
the exploitation fostered industrialization but at severe human and
environmental costs, with resistance legacies informing modern conflicts over
mining rights.
Beginnings and Key Minerals
Gold mining in Kolar started in 1873 by John Taylor and
Sons, producing 600 kg annually by 1885. Mica in Nellore commercialized from
1890s by the Mica Kings syndicate.
Displacement Patterns
Kolar mines displaced 10,000 villagers by 1900 for
shafts; in Andhra, bauxite from 1940s evicted tribals.
Resistance Narratives
www.osmanian.com
The 1896 Kolar strike involved 15,000 workers; 1920s
Vizagapatam unrest against land grabs.
Economic Role Gold output peaked at 3 tons in 1905;
minerals contributed 10 percent of Madras revenue by 1930.
Ecological Toll
Deforestation for fuel caused erosion; cyanide pollution
in Kolar from 1880s affected groundwater.
20th Century Expansions
The 1943 Bauxite leases to Aluminium Corporation led to
post-war booms.
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