Having a target to hike its capacity to produce 100-million tonne per annum (MTPA) steel, the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has requested the Odisha Government to reserve six mineral locks in Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts in its favour.
The NMDC wants that besides the major Mankadnacha and Malangtoli iron ore mines, four other blocks in Odisha should be reserved for it. It is the country’s single-largest iron ore producer presently producing 35 MT from its fully-mechanised mines in Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.
The NMDC has urged the Odisha Government to allocate the six mineral blocks under Section 17 A of the MMDR Act, 2015. In view of the National Steel Policy’s target to produce 300 MTPA steel in the country, the NMDC has set a Vision Plan to increase its iron ore production capacity from the present 35 MTPA to 100 MTPA by 2024-25. NMDC Director PK Satapathy has said that in order to meet this target, the NMDC requires additional mining leases in the mineral-rich States like Odisha. Odisha is having potential to develop mines with a capacity of over 10 MTPA.
Satapathy has said the NMDC is also planning to diversify into mining of minerals other than iron ore and diamond. So, it has been trying to acquire additional mining leases of various minerals including iron ore and diamond.
The NMDC has also approached the Union Ministry of Steel for reservation of the Khandadhar iron ore blocks in Sundargarh district for prospecting and mining operations. Khandadhar has got two iron ore blocks and the NMDC has asked for both, said official sources.
Besides, the NMDC has also approached the Odisha Government for reservation of the Rakma iron ore block of 986 hectares spreading over in Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts.
The NMDC has also requested the State Government for the Panduliposi iron ore and manganese blocks of 105 hectares in Keonjhar district. Besides, it has also submitted an application for the Kansa nickel ore block in Jajpur district for prospecting and mining operations.
Notably, the NMDC conducted a detailed exploration for iron ore in Malangtoli during 1972-77. It was granted the mining lease in Malangtoli but could not execute it as there was no infrastructure support for mining and marketing of ore at that time. The State Government revoked the mining lease for its non-execution.
The NMDC has once again urged the State Government for reservation of this iron ore block in its favour.
