The mountains in the vicinity of famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir will soon see mining activity with a high-level environment ministry panel giving a conditional nod to such a proposal. The proposal by Jammu and Kashmir Mineral Development Corporation to exploit magnesite at an ecologically-sensitive hill owned by the shrine board has been approved by the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife at a recent meeting chaired by environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan.