Question Govt Capacity To Monitor Implementation Of New Norms Ruhi Kandhari NEW DELHI EXPERTS have denounced the draft notification on environment standards for iron ore mining that allows more than two times the suspended particulate matter emission in mining area as compared to what is allowed in an industrial area. The text, which will be finalised after receiving public comments, is silent on the issue of waste management in mines.

Sunita Narain India thrives on a cheap and dirty industrialisation model.

Bishnu Dash Iron ore exporters in Orissa want the Centre'to exclude transportation cost from the 15 per cent ad valorem duty impose last month. Exporters argue that the transportation cost accounts for more than 60 per cent of the total value of iron ore exports. Earlier, a specific duty of Rs 300 per tonne was imposed on export of iron ore lumps and fines with over 62 per cent iron content, and Rs 50 per tonne on lower grade ore. Under the new policy, exporters are required to pay 15 per cent on the total value of the ore being shipped out.

Anil Agarwal will tell you that he likes all his metals

India needs to diverse its mineral export basket and intensify exploration activity with a suitable incentive framework to attract private sectors foreign investments, says a study by Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank). According to the study titled Exploration holds the key for Growth in India Mineral Sector, the growth momentum in the Indian minerals sector arising out of an increasing worldwide demand could be sustained through a comprehensive exploration policy to unearth the largely unexplored mineral wealth of the country.

Country's mining industry is projected to touch over $30 billion (about Rs 1,27,662 crore) accounting for about 2.5% of the GDP in the next four years, a latest report said. "Considering India's mineral resources, we believe there is strong potential for further development and scaling up of the country's mining industry.

The Orissa government is all set to recommend the Khandadhar iron ore mines to South Korean steel major Posco. Its recommendation letter is likely to be dispatched some time in the first week of next month as all formalities related to the hand-over have been carried out. There were as many 237 applicants for the mines. The state government on December 26, 2006, recommended Posco India to the Centre for a licence to carry out prospecting over 6204.352 hectares of the Khandadhar mines in Sundergarh district. The Centre initially rejected the state government's recommendation of Posco.

India announced a new National Mineral Policy (for non-coal and non-fuel minerals) in early April, after two-and-a-half years of wrangling between mineral-rich states and the central government,

North Eastern Coalfields Ltd (NECL), an arm of Coal India Ltd, will start two opencast mines in Assam to boost its production by over 27% to 1.4 million by the end of 2009, with a total investment of over Rs 100 crore Currently NECL produces about 1.1 million tonne of coal a year and the two new mines are expected to generate 3 lakh tonne of coal. Sources close to the deal said, officials from the Assam Government have been apprised of the draft plan for the mines and the proposal now awaits environmental clearance.