Govt to allocate dump ore for exports based on ECs

Panaji: With over 100 million tonnes of low-grade iron ore dumps allocated to mining companies, the directorate of mines and geology (DMG) has decided to allot the quantity of low-grade iron ore that each company can export depending on the environmental clearance (EC). Goa can only export 25 million tonnes of low-grade iron ore from the state per annum.Director of mines and geology Narayan Gad said that already 55 million tonnes of low-grade iron ore dumps have been allocated to erstwhile leaseholders. Similarly, govt has already auctioned 14 million tonnes of low-grade iron ore and put up 44 million tonnes of low-grade iron ore for the second dump auction.The Bombay high court, while dismissing Goa Foundation’s PIL challenging a provision of the Goa Mining Dump Policy, held that mining dumps are generated due to mining activities carried out under approved mining plans. “Therefore, it must be presumed that the leaseholder has already paid royalty with regard to the iron ore, if any, contained in the dumps,” the court said.Supreme Court allowed Goa govt to carry out dump mining activity in the state in accordance with an expert committee’s report.DMG received a total of 110 bids for 24 low-grade iron ore dumps that have been put up for auction in the second phase. Around 50 companies have submitted their bids for the dumps, and some have submitted multiple bids. The total quantity of low-grade iron ore is over 41 million tonnes in 24 dumps.Gad said mining firms have submitted a detailed project report , and it would be evaluated by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).