Tata Steel likely to start under ground Chrome Ore mining in Odisha according to sources close to this matter
Leading global steel producer Tata Steel is likely kick start underground Chrome mining at its Sukinda Chrome mines in Jajpur district of Odisha within next 2 months. For this the company has almost readied its latest state of the art technology, according to a highly placed source. The company had been excavating chrome ore from its mines in the area for nearly half a century by open cast method.
“The company will use the state-of-the art and environmental friendly technology for the underground Chrome mining and the equipment are ready. So within the next couple of months the company will be able to start the underground Chrome mining” he said.
Underground mining of chromite assumes significance given the fast depleting deposits amid higher demand and limited availability. Though the concept is not new in Orissa, Tata Steel has plans to use latest available technologies based on its studies carried out earlier, which can penetrate much lower than current standards maintained by other miners in the state.
Sukinda Valley, which has proved reserves of almost 90 per cent of India’s chromite deposits, houses around a dozen chromite mines including some government owned mines operated by OMC. Tata’s chromite mine in Sukinda is spread over 406 hectare.
The company’s lease validity has expired on January this year however, the company has been operating the mine under working permit since then. In September the company received Environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for up gradation of production limit upto 2.4 million tonne per annum (MnTPA) from existing 0.95 MnTPA limit.
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