NT Reporter
Panaji
Streamlining the process to sell iron ore dumps, the Union government on Tuesday specified that dumps which are in leased area up to August 31, 2025, are permitted for sale by mining
companies.
Earlier, the mines ministry had empowered states to allow the sale of dumps stacked in the leased area but had not mentioned the date.
A notification has been issued by the ministry.
The notification specifies August 31, as the said date, viz. after the “payment of additional amount specified in the sixth schedule” of the amended Act.
“The additional amount is in addition to the royalty or payment to the District Mineral Foundation and National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust or any other statutory payment,” says the Act.
The amended mining regulation came into effect from September 1, this year. It allowed mining companies to sell any quantity of mineral produced from the mining lease in a year after meeting the requirement of its end-use plant, along with other changes in the mining regulations.
The mines directorate has allotted four low-grade iron ore dumps for sale to mining companies – VM Salgaocar Pvt Ltd, Minescape Mineral Pvt Ltd, and Chowgule and Company Pvt Ltd (two dumps).
The dumps are lying outside the lease area on private land and allotted under the state policy for regulating iron ore dumps. Of the three companies, Chowgule & Co received the environmental clearance for the sale of one dump.
The government in January invited applications from erstwhile leaseholders who paid conversion fees for the allotment of the dumps.
The state has over 700 million metric tonnes of dump stocks according to the declarations made by the concessionaires or erstwhile lease holders.
However, some of these dumps have already been worked.
