By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Jharkhand’s Chaibasa Headquarters Rungta Mines Limited , which has major mining operations across all mineral bearing States including in mineral rich Odisha,has been continuing its efforts to partner with State’s progress. The company even after losing most of its, some 5 running iron ore and manganese blocks in last concluded high premium bidding under Joda-Koira circles of Keonjhar and Sundargarh in Odisha, continued to keep its commitment for expansion of its projects in coal bearing Dhenknal and mineral rich Bonai in Sundargarh. The ongoing expansion work of Rungta Mines Limited is likely to provide employment to some 500 people in the State.
Few days back, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik attended the ground breaking ceremony through video conference for Integrated Steel Plant expansion in Dhenkanal of Rungta Mines Limited. The projects for which ground-breaking was done are Rungta Mines Limited’s new unit for expansion of its Integrated Steel Plant project from 0.9 MTPA to 2.85 MTPA capacity at Jharbandh in Dhenkanal.
The 93rd State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) had earlier cleared 2 projects of Rungta Mines Limited worth Rs 1,926 Crore. The proposal of Rungta Mines Limited for setting up of a 34 MTPA beneficiation plant in two phases was a big boost to the State’s metal downstream sector. The Rs. 975 crore project is likely to provide employment to about 290 people.
Besides, another proposal of Rungta Mines Limited to set up 20 MTPA underground slurry pipe line from its proposed beneficiation Plant at Bonai/Champua sub-division to its 3 different plant locations with an investment of Rs. 951 crore had also been approved by the SLSWCA. It is likely to provide employment opportunities for 72 people.
The Rungta Mines Ltd Group, which had lost at least half dozen running mines under Joda-Koira regions of State’s mineral rich Sundargarh-Keonjhar regions, in the last concluded bidding, following lease expired on March 31 this year, till has 2 running mines, which has lifespan of 15 years and more while the Big Merchant Miner is also eyeing on large share of 9 Virgin Blocks, which will be put for bidding soon.
Sources said Rungta Mines Limited is desperately waiting for State Steel and Mines Department’s move to auction as many as 9 Virgin mining blocks. Sources said, for which, Rungta Mines Limited, withdrew itself from Commercial Coal Block auction for 38 blocks. The company hopes, if it gets virgin blocks, it will find easy to run its multiple operations in Odisha without facing raw material problem.
The estimated iron ore reserve in these blocks is 574 million tones located at Pureibahal (38.30 Million Tonnes), Chandiposhi (33.73 MT), Jhumka-Pathiriposi (114 MT), Dholtapahad (23.92 MT), Netrabandha Pahar-West (17.27 MT) in Sundaragarh district; and Rengalaberha-North-East (28.87 MT), Gandhalpada (314.37 MT), Unchabali (3.6 MT) and Kalimati in Kendujhar district. While Kalimati is a manganese block (0.686 MT) and Unchabali is a mix of iron and manganese, the rest blocks are iron ore. Iron ore is the raw material for steel production.
Early this year, Odisha Government had successfully auctioned at least 23 Iron, Manganese and Chrome Ore Blocks having resources worth Rs.4.87 Lakh Crore by 18 March, 2020. The State got one of the highest premiums like 144 percent in auction of one of its mineral blocks – Guali Iron Ore mines bagged by JSPL.Out of 23 mineral blocks, 11 are in Keonjhar, 08 in Sundargarh, 03 in Jajpur and 01 in Mayurbhanj.
