The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in a meeting on Thursday is likely to modify its directions on 61 coal blocks, which have been issued notices for not starting production.

Mine & metal cos want reversal of order that asks miners with partial green nod to get fresh approval for entire area by Jan ’15

India’s top mining and metals players plan to approach the prime minister and the environment and forest minister to scrap, or at least modify, a directive issued last year, warning that the entire mining sector would grind to a halt otherwise.

There were 11 companies which were not recommended by Power Ministry but selected by screening committee

The coal ministry has sought information from companies on the progress of 61 captive coal blocks allocated to them.
The blocks are being reviewed for lapses and the companies have been given three-weeks time to respond before taking a final decision on the cancellation of allocations.

Dhamra Port has received environmental clearance from the government for its next phase of expansion worth R7,000 crore, which would be invested over the next five years.

Decides to separate captive mining from 57 mn tonne cap

The state government has decided to exclude iron ore produced from mines owned by steel makers from its 57 million tonne annual iron ore cap imposed in Joda and Koira mining circle, in order to boost production by nearly 15 million tonne a year.

Coerced and threatened over the past year, they are fighting for rights over forestland that is part of coal-block given to Tata Steel

In Latehar district’s Jala village, a hamlet of 250 tribal villagers has refused to make way for coal mining by Tata Steel and Adhunik Power and Natural Resource Limited (APNRL) till their forest rights are settled first.

Large-scale violation of environment and forest laws have taken place in Odisa since 1994-95

Top companies — such as SAIL, Tata Steel, the Aditya Birla group’s Essel Mining and Odisha Mining Corp — are among the 70 that have violated environment and forest laws, the M B Shah Commission on illegal mining in Odisha has held.

New Delhi : Operations of top steel and mining companies, including Tata Steel, SAIL, Aditya Birla Group's Essel Mining, JSPL and Sarda Mines, are likely to get affected if a recommendation by the Justice M B Shah Commission to ban mining along the Baitarni river in Odisha is accepted.

The high-powered panel, in its five-volume report on illegal mining in Odisha, has recommended revisiting the environment approvals granted to all 55 mines around the Baitarni river and its tributaries.

New Delhi : The MB Shah Inquiry Commission has estimated the size of illegal iron ore mining in Orissa at Rs 60,000 crore and has said half of the profits from mines in the state should go to the local population.

The commission has, however, let off large mining companies including Tata Steel, Essel Mining (Birla group) and SAIL from any fresh probe. It has not found any evidence of illegal mining by these companies but that of over extraction from their mines.

The Coal Ministry has issued show-cause notices to eight firms, including Hindalco Industries and Mahanadi Coalfields, and sought explanation from five firms, including JSW Steel, Tata Steel and Po