Stating that the Goa mining ore dump policy is in place and the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) has been taken on board to study the dump profile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the state legislative assembly that the government is now undertaking a study of the actual market price of the ore dumps lying in the areas of the erstwhile mining leaseholders.
He further said once the price is fixed within a month a decision will be taken regarding the auctioning of these dumps, adding that the decision on the dumps lying in the government as well as comunidade lands would be taken within next two months.
Sawant, who holds the mining and geology portfolio, said the Geological Survey of India (GSI) would also help his government in this exercise and informed that there is an estimated dump ore of 700 million tonne.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai stated that only 123 million tonne of these total dumps carry ore in it, and that too is a low grade ore.
The Chief Minister said that the low grade ore is in great demand today, and if these dumps are auctioned then lakhs of sq m of land could be reused, probably for agriculture. He also said that if the low grade iron ore was exported, the government will be in a position to earn royalty towards the same.
IBM will carry out the dump profile and present a study report, which would facilitate the government in the dump auction.
The Chief Minister also said there are 180 locations around the state where the mining dumps are located, and starting auction of these dumps would start economic activities in the mining belts.
