The Society of Geoscientists and Allied Technologists (SGAT) has vehemently opposed Union tribal welfare minister V Kishore Chandra Deo’s demand for stoppage of bauxite mining in Eastern Ghats.

“We strongly refute observations of the Union tribal welfare minister as these are not based on facts,” said B K Mohanty, advisor, SGAT, a non-profit making professional body dedicated to promotion of mineral development.

Rocked by increasing criticism from all quarters, Goa under its new chief minister Manohar Parrikar is on a drive to set things straight.

Ministry in process of amending rules. Guilty party to lose licence, debarred from obtaining any further licence

PANJIM: As a major fallout of Shah Commission’s interim report, Union Mines ministry is working on amending the Mineral Concession Rules which will make mine owner lose his licence and would be debarred from obtaining any further licence, if he is found guilty of involving in illegal mining activity. Justice M B Shah Commission, during its first interim report had suggested this stringent measure to curb the illegal mining, which was accepted by the union mines ministry.

PANJIM: The Union Mines Ministry has asked Goa government to ensure that there is no environmental degradation while allowing the dumps to be handled for exports.

The ministry has also stipulated that any dump handling would be done only after ‘quantification of grade and quantity of ore’ in the heaps of mining rejects piled across the state.

Odisha expects to get additional revenue of Rs 1000 crore from the proposed forest development tax (FDT). The FDT is set to be levied at the rate of 15 per cent on sale value of minerals raised on forest land.

"The finalization of FDT will need an inter-departmental consultative process involving the departments of forest & environment, steel & mines and law. The FDT Act has to be amended. There is a possibility of showing minerals raised from forest land as non-forest produce as 200 out of 600 mining leases have a mix of forest and non-forest land. A mechanism has to be worked out to check this”,

Rehabilitation, reclamation plan cleared

After receiving brickbats for long, the troubled mining industry has finally got some reprieve. The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court has given its nod to eight mining firms located in Bellary and Chitradurga districts to resume their operations. Speaking at a seminar on “Rebuilding Iron Ore Mining and Steel Making Capabilities”, H R Srinivasa, director of Mines and Geology, said the CEC had informed the State government that it had cleared the Rehabilitation and Reclamation plan of the eight ‘A’ category mines,

Bangalore Eight Karnataka iron ore mines will resume operations by the end of July, possibly adding around 5.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) and easing some supply constraints.

“The reclamation & rehabilitation (R&R) plans of eight mines have been cleared and final approval will be given by the central empowered committee (CEC) today,” HR Srinivasa, director, department of mines & geology, Karnataka, said here on Wednesday.

Deputy Director of Mines (DDM) for Joda mining circle has issued notices to eight iron and manganese mines for payment of royalty dues amounting to Rs 350 crore on the basis of updated ore prices issues by Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM).

The notices for differential royalty collection were sent to Joda East Iron Ore mines (Rs 90.19 crore), Nua Gaon mines of KJS Ahluwalia group (Rs 3.32 crore), K N Ram mines (Rs 10.13 crore), Mesco mines (Rs 12.41 crore), R P Sao Guali mine (Rs 93.59 crore), Jajang mine of Rungta Group (Rs 60.66 crore), Ziling mine of Essel Mining (Rs 25.21 crore), and Kashia mine, also of Essel Mining (Rs 23.52 crore).

PANJIM: Mines and Geology department will be holding a special inspection of State’s oldest mining company, Damodar Mangalji and Company Limited (DMC) on Monday before suspending its lease, as directed by Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM).

IBM, in an order issued on April 18, has directed the company to suspend the mining operations of its Band Doncol iron ore mine in Pissurlem, for violations of provisions of Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR), 1988.

The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to probe illegal mining in Karnataka has ruled out resumption of mining operations in the state until mining plans in category A and B