OMC to sell 0.38 mt seized ore at Uliburu in Sept

Iron ore fines, lumps and dumps were seized from lease-terminated B K Mohanty mines in September

The state owned Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) has initiated steps to sell about 385,000 tonne of seized iron ore fines, lumps and dumps lying at scam tainted B K Mohanty mines at Uliburu in Keonjhar district.

OMC floated the sales tender and asked the potential buyers to send in their price quotes by September 6, when the bids will be opened.

The lot includes 25,604 tonne of sized iron ore, fines amounting to 170,000 tonne, run-of-mines of 11,842 tonne and 28,348 tonne high grade iron ore dumps and lumps. Besides about 150,000 tonne of 42-43 grade iron ore dumps would be put up for sale.

The grades of run of mines, fines and lumpy ore vary from 55 to 65 Fe content for different quantities. These are stocked at Uliburu area of Joda mining circle since 2009, when the mining operation of B K Mohanty, along with other mines was suspended in absence of statutory clearances.

The tender has been restricted only for end-user plants and mineral traders. Iron ore lease holders have been barred to participate in the tender process.

Last month, the state government took over the B K Mohanty iron ore mines after it was established prima facie that the miner had illegally raised minerals beyond its permitted area without any lawful authority.

The government said, it will take ‘strongest possible’ steps to recover approximately Rs 1,800 crore siphoned by the mine owner and his authorised mine operator Deepak Gupta, who is also the managing director of a fledgling steel unit, Deepak Steel and Power, through illegal raising and transportation of ore between 2003 and 2009.

The validity of the 35 hectare lease had expired in 2003, but the excavation continued without necessary clearances till 2009, when the government halted the operation during a crackdown on illegal mining activity. The miner is said to have raised huge amount of iron ore from forest area by shifting the boundary pillars into nearby reserve forest.

Mohanty, who was arrested by police, recently got bail from the high court while Gupta is absconding.