The Hindu Business Line : Directional change in chrome ore mining mooted in 10th Plan

According to the committee, there is substantial scope for further scientific exploration to prove chrome ore reserves beyond 100 m depth. Investigations carried out by the Geological Survey of India have indicated the persistence of upper brown ore of seam (level I) beyond a depth of 250 m. This, on its own, is expected to contain reserves of 75 million tonnes (mt) up to a depth of 250 m. Exploration of ore body beyond 100 m so far has been inadequate.

If exploration is carried out by South African standards, significantly larger resources can be proved. Scientific exploration is also necessary to make an estimate of the reserves of Ophiolite belt of podiform deposits in Manipur and Nagaland.

The grade-wise in situ chrome ore reserves on April 1, 1995, as estimated by the Indian Bureau of Mines, were (figures under three categories — proved, probable and possible — respectively): Metallurgical/charge chrome grade: 21.8 mt, 21.74 mt and 20.17 mt; refractory grade: 1.45 mt, 0.61 mt and 2.6 mt; beneficiable grade: 6.4 mt, 12.02 mt and 10.78 mt and unclassified grade: 0.58 mt, 1.88 mt and 1.39 mt. With the low grade accounting for a negligible quantity, the total reserves under the three categories then worked out to 30.22 mt, 36.27 mt and 34.98 mt respectively.

Out of the in situ reserves of 101 mt plus, 86.2 are recoverable; almost 56 per cent is ferro chrome/charge chrome grade, five per cent is refractory grade, four per cent is chemical grade, 25 per cent is beneficiable grade and the rest comprises low grade/unclassified ore.

Since the Indian reserves are friable in nature, R&D efforts are called for to beneficiate and recover ultra fine ore particles. This will also help increase the yield of beneficiation plants. Extensive R&D is needed to utilise such ores for metallurgical applications.

Major technological projects such as direct reduction and plasma arc furnaces have been launched by the South African major, Samnacor, at its Middleburg facility to optimise the treatment of fines. The committee, however, has expressed the view that plasma arc furnaces, which are power-intensive, may not be viable in India. But, pre-reduction of chrome ore through solid state reduction by carbon process can help reduce specific energy consumption to a great extent.

It has also noted that significant development has since taken place to facilitate R&D activity in the utilisation of nickel bearing chrome ore burden. The pilot study conducted by the Regional Research Laboratory of CSIR and the Technology Proving Plant of Hindustan Zinc Ltd at Bhubaneswar has indicated that it is technically possible to extract nickel from the huge chrome ore burden lying with Tata Steel and Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC).

A directional change can be brought about, according to the committee, by:

Stepping up exploration up to 250 m depth, specially in the hitherto unexplored areas

Firming up a plan to explore `podiform' deposits in Manipur and Nagaland

Promoting chrome ore beneficiation plans to facilitate conservation

Giving leases in future to established mining companies capable of undertaking scientific mining even in minimum specified leasehold sizes

Discontinuing the practice of allowing fragmented leaseholds, thereby preventing blocking of minerals in boundary pillars and facilitating increase in the working depth of mines

Redistributing areas lying unworked within the existing leaseholds to genuine parties

Promoting export of value-added products, such as concentrates, briquettes and pellets

The world reserves of the mineral are estimated at seven billion tonnes. South Africa has 80 per cent of the reserves. Zimbabwe has a 13 per cent share. The committee's report mentions that India with 186 mt of reserves -- 108 mt in situ and 78 mt "conditional'' — ranks fourth and Orissa has a share of as much as 98 per cent.

OMC, Tata Steel, Mysore Minerals, FACOR, IDCOL, Misrilal Mines and B.C. Mohanty have been producing chrome ore for a long time. The new entrants are the IMFA group, Ispat and Jindals.

(To be concluded)

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
Comment on this article to BLFeedback@thehindu.co.in

Stories in this Section
Pension, social security cover for unorganised sector on the anvil

Jaswant asks Ministries, depts to tighten belt

India, Finland pact to boost investments

`Scope bright for better trade ties with France'

Cancer awareness programme

Slow infrastructure growth hits investment prospects in AP

Gasohol tax: Naik to meet State Ministers today

WBSEB drive against power theft

To ease risk of policy reversals — Parekh panel moots fund for power sector reform

Nagarjuna power project nearing financial closure