Bhubaneswar: In a step forward on auction of mineral blocks, the state government, Monday, opened the technical bids for auction of 10 mineral blocks.
The directorate of mines has opened the technical bids for electronic auction of 7 blocks of iron ore and 3 blocks of iron ore & manganese (associate minerals that co-occur) for the purposes of grant of mining lease.
The seven iron ore blocks put for auction are Nuagaon, Thakurani, Jilling – Langalota, Jaribahal,
Roida-II, Jururi and Ganua.
The Siljora–Kalimati, Narayanposhi and Mahulsukha iron & manganese blocks have also been put for auction.
As many as 176 bids have been applied to grab the mineral blocks. While 21 bidders applied for Roida-II block, 15 players are in race each for Nuagaon and Thakurani blocks, 24 companies are eying to grab the Jilling – Langalota block.
Similarly, 25 bidders have applied to get Jaribahal block, 12 each for Ganua, Narayanposhi
& Siljora–Kalimati, 18 for Mahulsukha and 22 for Jururi blocks, sources said.
Nuagaon iron ore mine is the largest mine put on auction. Spread over 767 hectares, the Nuagaon mine block equals all the other iron ore deposits in the state put together. It’s so big that only a handful of mining firms are expected to meet the net worth eligibility to bid for it. The big mining players are eyeing to grab the block because it will alone make the concern firm to rule the mining industry in the state.
According to the sources, mining firms including Mythri Infra, CP Ispat, Vedanta, Debabrata Behera, Altrade Minerals, Southwest Mining, Rungta and KJS are in race for Siljora–Kalimati block while firms including Shyam Mettalics, JSPL, Vedanta, Rungta, Arcelor Mittal and Pro Minerals are in the race for Narayanposhi iron & manganese block and companies like Rungta, Vedanta, Pro Minerals, RCL, Pattnaik Steel, MGM and Electro steel are eyeing to get Jaribahal block.
Similarly, big players including Adani, JSPL, Essel, JSW Steel, Vedanta, Rungta Mines, TS Alloys and Arcelor Mittal have applied for Jilling – Langalota iron block. Mining firms like Electrosteel, JSW, JSPL, Vedanta and Rungta have applied for many of the remaining blocks, the source said.
The major steel producers and mining firms have applied for all most all blocks in an aim to grab maximum mineral rich iron and manganese blocks.
The technical bids have been opened today. The technical committee of the directorate will examine each bid and the final list of eligible bidders for auction of 10 mineral blocks will be declared December 9, mines director Deepak Mohanty said.
