(BS)
The Odisha government has invited financial and technical bids to grant mining leases (ML) for 10 iron ore and manganese blocks. The central government had recently approved the revision in mining lease area limits for iron ore and associated minerals in Odisha to 58 square kilometres (sq km), up from 10 sq km prescribed in Section 6 (1) (b) of the Mines and Minerals- Development & Regulation (MMDR) Act. The state had kept the auctions of iron and manganese ore in abeyance for want for clearance from the Centre.
Seven of the mineral blocks on offer are pure iron ore deposits. The rest three have co-existence of iron ore and manganese ore reserves. Five out of the 10 enlisted blocks have been reserved for specified end use- Thakurani, Jaribahal, Roida-II, Narayanposhi and Ganua. The specified end use is still nebulous as its unclear how many blocks would be made available for large, integrated steel manufacturers and secondary steel producers like sponge iron, pellet and pig iron makers.
