Absence of export duty and relatively low capital requirement make it an attractive option

Iron ore miners in Karnataka, facing uncertainty over possibility of exports in the near future, are increasingly looking at new opportunities to earn higher profits. A large number of miners is exploring the possibility of diversifying into manufacturing and export of pellets, because of the absence of any duty on pellet exports. At present, the demand for pellets in India is estimated at 37 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) and is projected to double to 76 mtpa by 2016-17.