Rs 15,000-crore aluminium park stuck as both parties ponder setting up of smelter

Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC)’s ambitious Rs 15,000-crore aluminium park in Kutch, Gujarat, is again staring at hurdles. GMDC wants to set up a one-million-tonne alumina refinery and a 50,00,000-tonne aluminium smelter. However, its partner, National Aluminium Company (Nalco), is wary of the smelter, as converting alumina into aluminium requires mega power generation.

RSB Metaltech Ltd, part of the Odisha based RSB Group, has sought long-term bauxite supply for its 0.70 million tonne per annum alumina refinery proposed at Rayagada.

“Considering the mega investment and the corresponding socio-economic development for the state arrangement of sourcing of bauxite for shorter horizons will not be prudent,” the company said. RSB’s alumina refinery and its smelter at Dhenkanal envisages an investment of Rs 6,800 crore. As a buyer of bauxite, RSB Metaltech wants to be associated right from the exploration of the mine and also during formulation of the mine plan, so that the assured quality of bauxite is delivered over the life of the alumina plant.

The inter-ministerial committee of the Odisha government constituted to formulate a policy for offering raw materials to state based industries will seek more time for submission of its report.

Though the panel was mandated to submit its report by January 30, exactly three months after the notification dated October 30 last year, it was yet to finalize the report.

Steel units and sponge iron makers operating in the state without raw material linkages have demanded holding of separate e-auctions for local end-use industries and bidders having units outside the state.

“There should be separate e-auctions for Odisha-based industries and units located outside the state. While units outside the state will only pay commission to the state government for the ore bought through auction, local units are contributing in many ways like payment of taxes and employment generation,” said P L Kandoi, president, All Odisha Steel Federation (AOSF), a body representing the interests of local steel units and sponge iron manufacturers.

Under the agreement, JFE will provide technology for the production of non-oriented electrical steel sheets at JSW's Bellary plant

JSW Steel Ltd and Japan’s JFE Steel Corporation on Monday announced signing of a joint agreement for technical collaboration. Under the agreement, JFE will provide technology for the production of non-oriented electrical steel sheets (CRNGO) at the JSW’s Vijayanagar plant in Bellary district of Karnataka.

Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL), on Wednesday, shut down its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, and stopped feeding bauxites and started washing its tanks.

The lease for its Panchpatmali bauxite mines having expired three days ago, the National Aluminium Company (Nalco) is pinning hopes on the November 26 Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) meeting to giv

Public Sector National Aluminium Company seems to be heading for major crisis this month as the 30-year-old mining lease of company’s only bauxite mine in Koraput district is about to expire on Nov

The exports have increased substantially in the last 2-3 years

Trade body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has urged the Union ministry of commerce and industry to ban bauxite exports fearing closure of alumina refineries for shortage of the key raw material required to produce alumina. “India has a large and developed aluminum industry. But the industry is today at cross roads primarily owing to severe shortage of raw materials, forcing plant closure and jeopardizing employment,” Arnab Kumar Hazra, Director, Ficci wrote to SR Rao, Union Commerce Secretary.