Coal news and updates

6 mineral blocks auctioned to private cos so far

A total of six mines have been auctioned by the Chhattisgarh and Odisha governments in recent weeks to private sector companies under various provisions of the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015 so far, Minister of State for Steel and Mines Vishnu Deo Sai has said.

Of the six mines, four were limestone, while one each was gold and iron ore, Sai said in a written reply in Parliament.

Essar Steel has won the mining lease for the Ghoraburhani-Sagasahi iron ore mine in the Sundergarh district of Odisha while Vedanta has won a prospecting-cum-mining (PL-cum ML) lease for the Baghmara gold mine in the Balodabazar-Bhatpara area of Raipur in Chhattisgarh.

Burnpur Cement Plant won a PL-cum-ML for two limestone mines – Harihaspura Block-I and Block-II in Ramgarh area of Chhattisgarh whereas Century Cement has won an ML for the Kesla limestone mine in the Raipur area of the state.

Shree Cement has emerged as the highest bidder to win an ML for the Karhi Chandi limestone mine in the Balodabazar area of Bhatapara in Chhattisgarh.

The details of the mineral blocks auctioned to private sector bidders are as follows:

To start operation in the auctioned blocks, the bidder is required to pay the auction amount (as percentage of value of the minerals despatched) in addition to royalty, contribution to the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) and contribution to the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) as per the Act, the minister said.