National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (NMDC) has decided to scale up its production of iron ore gradually and aimed to double output by 2018-19.

Narendra Kothari, CMD of NMDC said at a CII event here on Wednesday that the miner set a production target of 31 million tonnes of iron ore and sales of 32 million tonnes (mt) in 2014-15. In 2013-14, it produced 30 mt of iron ore.

“By 2018-19 we expect reach a target of 60 mt and by 2024-25 NMDC targets to touch 100 mt of iron ore,” he added.

These are revised production targets for NMDC. Earlier, the public sector miner had set an output target of 50 mt by 2014-15. Enhancement of production capabilities was for the existing mines and the miner will open up new mines such as Deposit -11B in Bailadila sector of Chhattisgarh and Kumaraswamy in Donimalai sector of Karnataka.

Kothari said NMDC was preparing an action plan for its Jharkhand assets. This should be ready by March. Through a joint venture with the Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation, NMDC is pursuing the projects at Sasangada and Ghatkuri West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand. A meeting of intending equipment suppliers has been organised in January for the projects, he added.

He said NMDC’s three million-tonne-a-year proposed steel plant at Jagdalpur should be ready by December 2015.

Kothari said NMDC was targeting exploration of potash in Russia.

NMDC CMD also said the Government of India has allowed the miner to undertake joint exploration in the unexplored areas in the country.

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