GMDC filters 4 firms for alumina project in Kutch

The state PSU had received EoIs from nine companies.

State-run mining major Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) has short-listed four firms for executing Rs 14,000 crore alumina project in Kutch.

As many as nine companies were in fray to partner with the state PSU for this project. The companies filtered out of the total nine players include Aditya Birla Group firm Hindalco, Jaiprakash Associates, JSW Aluminium and public sector company Nalco.

However, GMDC will finalise only one player for the project. GMDC had received expressions of interest (EoI) from nine companies for the project, which include Hindalco Industries, Gujarat Foils, JSW Aluminium, Nalco, Aluchem (USA), Dubai Aluminium, Jaiprakash Associates, Adani Group and Jindal Steel and Power. It had appointed two agencies to study the EoIs and carry out a technical assessment as well as financial backgrounds checks of the companies in the fray for the plant.

V S Gadhvi, managing director of GMDC, had said earlier that GMDC might narrow down on three to four companies and then ask them to furnish more details which will help to select one company as a partner for the project. The total project size for setting up a million tonne alumina and a half million tonne aluminium smelter is Rs 10,000-14,000 crore.

GMDC proposes to set up a one million tonne alumina refinery and 500,000-tonne aluminium smelter. It plans to supply bauxite for the alumina production from its Kutch mines. The EoI document had no mention of a power plant. However, the companies would also be setting up a power plant for the project as aluminium production is a power intensive process.

The state government will construct a desalination plant for water supply. Currently, there is a temporary water pipeline arrangement to feed industries in Kutch. GMDC has bauxite reserves that can last for 25-30 years.