Shoma Patnaik
Panaji : The auctioning of mining dumps concluded in the state, and the government has been able to auction all 24 dump lots put up for sale including those that had received tepid response.
“The state government will earn approximately Rs 220 crore as upfront fee from the dump auctions that have total iron ore reserves assessed at 41.93 million tonnes (MT),” mines director Narayan Gad said on Friday, adding that the overall response to the auctions was better
than expected.
“The auction’s reserve (base) price had been fixed at 22 per cent. However, some of the bids were higher than the base price with the highest at 166 per cent received for dump-14, containing 8.43 lakh tonne of ore located in Cormonem-Dharbandora,” Gad said.
The largest dump of 11.7 million tonne of ore – dump-18, located in Sonus Vonvoilem and Cudnem – was auctioned at 22.1 per cent.
Successful bidding companies that have acquired the dumps will now have to obtain environment clearance from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority.
They will have to take consents from the Goa State Pollution Control Board to commence lifting of the ore.
The Mines Department has appointed TERI to periodically inspect and monitor the scientific handling of the dumps for environment protection.
Bidders have also been directed to construct arrestor walls in the periphery area to prevent the slurry from being washed away. Settling ponds are among the other measures mandated for safe handling of the dumps, the mines director said.
“The department will try to ensure that bidders start working the dumps at the earliest,” he added.
Obtaining ECs and consents from the pollution board is expected to take three-four months.
Goa is the first state in India to auction mining dumps comprising rejects of low-grade iron ore having Fe content of 45 per cent and lower.
The auction took place over a period of two months, from June 15 this year and ended a few days back. Successful bidding companies that acquired the dumps include Odisha-based KAI International, RKB Global, Mumbai, Goa Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd, Saras Mining & Minerals, among others.
So far, the state has auctioned 18 mineral blocks (mining leases) in four phases since 2022. Six of the mineral blocks have gone into production.
The handling of dumps is expected shortly by Chowgule & Co Pvt, Ltd, which received consent to operate for its Sirigao dump having capacity of 5 lakh tonne of iron ore.
