NT Reporter | Panaji
The state’s 31st e-auction of iron ore, from which the government expected to earn Rs 100 crore, has netted Rs 136 crore, according to the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG). The amount includes Rs 17.8 crore by way of royalty, an official said.
A total of 7.5 lakh tonnes of ore, with grades between 41.36 iron and 50.81 iron, were put up for auction on November 13–14. Bidders included local mining companies as well as ore-trading enterprises.
The 31st e-auction of ore lying in jetties, the Mormugao Port and mining lease sites was held after a year’s gap.
E-auctions of ore in primary locations began in 2014 after the Supreme Court in 2012 ordered closure of the mining industry following the illegal mining scam. The government identified 15 million tonnes of ore excavated by companies as stock to be auctioned.
E-auctions are executed via the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation (MSTC) portal.
In addition to the 31st e-auction, the government is planning an auction of mining dumps in January 2026. Ten dumps — nine in South Goa and one in North Goa — have been identified for the first phase.
