Panaji : The state will soon have its first mineral testing laboratory for verifying the grade of iron ore, which is expected to give an impetus to a full-fledged resumption of mining activities.
The state-of-the-art laboratory will be set up in three-four months at Goa College of Engineering (GCE), Farmagudi. It will have X-ray fluorescence (XRF) facilities, which are being established by the Mines Department.
The cost of the lab is Rs 3.5 crore, which is being met through funds released from the National Mineral Exploration Trust.
This has been done based on the proposal submitted by the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG).
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who is also the Mines Minister, had directed the department to set up the laboratory.
Presently testing of iron ore for grading in the state is done by a few NABL-accredited laboratories that are empanelled with the DMG. Once the state lab gets operational at the GEC, all samples drawn by the DMG from ore stacks will be analysed in the facility.
“The upcoming laboratory will significantly strengthen mineral testing, research, academic collaboration, and capacity building while providing advanced analytical facilities to support Goa’s mining and mineral sector,” pointed out mines director Narayan Gad on Tuesday.
The memorandum of understanding for setting up the lab was signed by Gad and GEC principal Dr MS Krupashankara in the presence of Chief Secretary Dr V Candavelou, GEC’s Professor Sawaikar, DMG’s deputy directors Ratnakant Govekar and Satyam V Adkonkar.
XRF analysis is a non-destructive analytical technique used in laboratories to determine the elemental composition of materials.
A leaseholder at the time of dispatching ore from the lease area submits a lab test certificate of the grade to apply for the transit or sale permit. The DMG geologist also draws samples from the stack intended for dispatch and sends it to the empanelled lab for ascertaining the grade.
The DMG verifies the grade from certificates, submitted by the leaseholder and the department, and whichever is the higher grade is considered for calculation of premium and royalty.
“Mining operations have resumed in the state. Total 18 mineral blocks have been auctioned of which six are in operation and the remaining 12 blocks are in the process of obtaining various permissions,” Gad said.
