core sector communique

Steel Minister Reviews Performance of NMDC NMDC Signs MoU with RINL For Developing 450 KM Slurry Pipeline From Jagdalpur to Vishkhapatnam

The Union Minister for Steel Shri Beni Prasad Verma has reviewed the performance of NMDC Limited, for the year 2011-12, here today. Shri N.K. Nanda, CMD (Incharge), NMDC briefed the Minister about the performance of the company during the year 2011-12 and highlighted its achievements against the MoU targets of the year. The Minister exhorted the company to continue to improve its performance in the coming financial year. The Minister also expressed interest in progress of NMDC’s steel plant at Nagarnar and advised the company to complete its mining projects in India and abroad at a faster pace. The Minister was of the view that in order to meet future raw material demand in the country, NMDC needs to ramp up its production from the present level. During the year 2011-12, the company registered a growth of about 7% as production of iron ore reached 27.26 million tonnes as compared to 25.16 million tonnes during previous year. All the major packages for the proposed 3 MTPA integrated Steel plant in Nagarnar have been awarded within a short span of time and the work for blast furnace, raw material handling system and coke oven plants has started. The company is taking care of development activities around the steel plant in areas of basic and professional education, health and infrastructure for local people. Stressing on the importance of R&D, the company is developing process flow sheet for upgrading low grade iron ores such as BHJ from 41.5% Fe to 64% Fe, through setting up of a beneficiation plant at Donimalai, Karnataka. Besides, the company has also embarked upon expansion and diversification plans in India and abroad. It has made 50% acquisition in Legacy Iron Ore Limited, Australia which will give NMDC access to 3 iron ore and one gold deposit at exploration stage. The other upcoming projects of NMDC in India and abroad including 1.2 MTPA Pellet Plant in Donimalai, development of Deposit-11B Mine in Bailadila Sector, Chhattisgarh and Kumaraswamy Mine in Karnataka etc. The Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Shri D.R.S. Chaudhary appreciated the performance of NMDC and advised the company for expediting completion of its ongoing mine expansion projects. He also indicated that in order to complete its upcoming steel plant project in Nagarnar as per schedule, NMDC needs to speed up execution activities. NMDC signed a MoU with RINL for developing a Slurry pipeline of about 450 Km from Jagdalpur to Vishkhapatnam and a 3-4 Mtpa Pellet Plant at Visakhapatnam in the august presence of Steel Minister. Currently, the iron ore requirement of RINL is being met by supply from NMDC mines in Bailadila. The ore is transported mainly through railways, but RINL’s iron ore requirement is set to increase to 19 million tonnes after planned capacity expansion in future. The MoU proposes a slurry pipeline from Bailadila to Vishakhapatnam which will ease the existing transport facility and at the same time increase NMDC’s evacuation capacity. NMDC’s expansion envisages increase in production capacity from the Bailadila sector from current 25 Mtpa to 50 Mtpa with planned capacity expansion of existing mines and addition of new mines ‘Deposit - 11B’, ‘Deposit 13’ and ‘Deposit 4’. Preliminary studies have been conducted by NMDC for laying of the slurry pipeline and RINL has carried out preliminary study for a pellet plant at Vishakhapatnam. The two companies will go for a JV for laying of the pipeline and setting up of the pellet plant. MECON would be the consultant for preparation of the Bankable Feasibility Report.