Goa's draft mining policy suggests export cap of 45 Mn Tonnes a year

Goa government's draft mining policy recommends capping the iron ore exports at 45 metric million tonnes a year. This would include import of 25 Million MT of rejected ore from `dumps'. Environmental degradation across the coastal state due to excessive mining has led to public outcry in the recent years.

In an important provision, the policy allows export of ore from `dumps', the stores of low-grade iron ore left at the mining sites, which had been banned in 2011. “As some of the dumps are within forest areas, including sanctuaries, the state government will seek special approval, if required, from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for the removal of these dumps,” the policy reads.

The prices of low-grade iron ore in these dumps are very volatile, it says, adding that “current market situation may not last for long”, and hence this ore should be sold off.