When Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Srikant Jena described Orissa’s mining scam as bigger than those of Goa and Karnataka put together, it might have been only a figure of sp

Stepping up action against erring PSUs which failed to develop coal mines, the Inter-Ministerial panel on coal blocks has recommended deallocation of eight such blocks after scrutiny of 19 cases.

The hefty penalty of Rs 70,000 crore on excess ore extraction that has caught many a mine lessee off guard is poised to swell further with the state government readying to send showcause notices to 44 more lessees.

A high-powered committee of the state government had found 104 lessees guilty of raising ore beyond IBM (Indian Bureau of Mines) ratified mining plan. The mining department has already slapped showcause notices on 60 miners in Joda and Koira sectors. The penalty on the balance 44 miners has been worked out at around Rs 5,000 crore.

JSW Steel has almost abandoned the transfer of its Mozambique coal mines to utility JSW Energy, breaching a promise it made to investors at the time of the initial public offering of the power prod

PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board will hear the defence of 48 mining firms, accused of extracting excess iron ore by Goa Foundation, between November 19 and November 23.

The companies, during their hearing last month had challenged GSPCB jurisdiction to conduct hearing over excess production claiming that the environment clearances (ECs) are issued by Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).

Bhubaneswar Mining scam: Cos told to appear before Nov 8

The MB Shah Commission, probing the multi-crore mining scam in several states, has summoned the Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL) and Sarada Mines for alleged irregularities in mining activities. The officials of the two companies have been told to appear before the commission on November 8. “The commission has summoned the two companies as there are allegations that they violated Rule 37(B) of the Mining Concession Rules (MCR)”, said state director of mines Deepak Mohanty.

During the first half of FY13, it produced 3.1 mt, a drop of 46.5 per cent compared to the 5.8 mt in the corresponding period last year
Sesa Goa, a Vedanta group company, is unlikely to achieve its iron ore production target of 15 million tonnes for 2012-13, owing to the mining ban in Goa and expiry of its lease in Karnataka. During the first half of FY13, it produced 3.1 mt, a drop of 46.5 per cent compared to 5.8 mt in the corresponding period last year. During FY12, it produced 15.9 mt of ore, a drop of 18.5 per cent over the previous year.

As many as four companies have evinced interest in buying bauxite calcination plant run by state-owned mining major Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC). The plant having a production capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year is located in Kutch district.

The state PSU had floated tenders to sell this plant, which is in working condition, in September this year. "Four companies have shown interests in buying the plant from GMDC," said sources close to the development. While the plant is in working condition, it is not producing at optimum levels, making it financially unviable. The current output is 160 tonnes a day.

Tata Steel on Tuesday said it would contest the Rs 6,000-crore fine imposed on the company by the Odisha government over alleged violation of mining norms in the state.

The company, which has captive iron ore and manganese mines and dolomite quarries in Odisha, was slapped a fine of about Rs 6,000 crore last week by the state government on the charges of “illegal and excess mining” at its iron ore mines.

New Delhi Terming the mining lease of Karnataka-based Ramgad Minerals and Mining illegal, the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has temporarily suspended the stage-II clearance given to the firm's mines in Bellary and decided to issue the company a showcause notice on why it should not be cancelled.

On September 9, 2010, former environment minister Jairam Ramesh gave Ramgad Minerals’ mines in Karnataka the much-needed stage-II clearance or final approval for iron-ore mining on 335.04 hectare of forest land without obtaining the compliance report and recommendations of the state government.