The coal ministry today ruled out allocation of coal blocks to power, steel and cement industries by way of competitive bidding in the near future and blamed the mines ministry for delaying the Bill which would amend the Act under which mining blocks are allotted.

The move could disappoint Tata Steel, SAIL and Reliance Power who want a quick allocation of mining blocks.

The Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association on Sunday welcomed the Central governments decision to reduce the export duty on iron ores.

According to reports, the Centre on Sunday announced Rs 20,000 crore additional non-plan expenditure as part of the package to stimulate the economy. Reports said, this also included reduction in export duty of mineral ores.

The groundwork for setting up four integrated steel plants in Dumka and Jamtara is likely to begin next month.

The state government has agreed to renew the MoUs that expired in February this year and has directed officials to initiate necessary steps to make the proposed industries functional at the earliest.

National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), the country's largest producer and exporter of iron ore, has reduced ore prices by 25 per cent, with effect from December 1. A decision to this effect was taken by the public sector undertaking's board at its meeting held on Thursday.

Johnson T A Posted: Nov 26, 2008 at 0124 hrs IST

Bellary : Over the past several years, sunsets in Bellary have been redder than at most other places in Karnataka. As lines of iron ore-laden trucks rumbled on to the coast from the many mines that crater the low, red hills, they churned up clouds of dust that hung over the town in a rusty haze long after the vehicles themselves had passed.

The government has asked steel major Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL) to constitute a core group of experts to scout for iron ore mines and coal properties overseas for acquisition.

The Orissa government has remaining licence to the National Aluminium Company (Nalco). The state government said the company can be given a prospective licence on the Potangi bauxite mines only if it agrees to give the Sashubahumali Pasangamali reserve to the Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC).

ECONOMIC slowdown has gripped the mining sector with iron ore mining firms closing down operations in 20 mines and scaling down production in 50 mines by reducing the number of shifts. Most of the mine closures

Public sector diversified mineral resources company NMDC is planning to bring a foreign partner for its proposed joint venture for thermal coal mining in West Bengal, and has even held talks with Rio Tinto, the world