While the government (both state and central)  is taking several steps for mineral consumption and export curb , a new report says that the amount of minerals already excavated is meager compared to the actual mineral reserves in Odisha.

The report prepared by the government of Odisha says that out of the total iron ore reserve of 4958.25 million tons only 9.1% of it has been extracted so far. Iron ore mining in the state started in the state long back in 1904 by Tata. Till few years back there were as many as 120 miners engaged in iron ore mining, but after the crackdown on illegal mining several mines have been closed and currently only 15 miners have managed to continue iron ore production. Due to this the annual production of the basic steel making raw material has come down to 62 million tons in the 2012-13 financial year, which had touched 80 million tons before 2010.

Similarly, Odisha carries about 1806.57 tones of Bauxite, but only 55.68 tons have been extracted so far. On the other hand there are 120.11 million tons of Manganese ore reserved in the state, but only 9% of it has been excavated so far. The size of the Chromite reserve of the state has been estimated at 182.86 million tons, of this 159.4 million tons are proven reserves, which is almost 97% of the total Chrome ore reserve of the country. But only 13% has been mines so far.

Interestingly, while there is 174 million tons of Nickel reserved in the state, the amount that has been excavated is very meager.