Nalco plans to do away with explosives for bauxite mining

In view of the Naxalites attack on its bauxite mines to loot explosives on April 12, aluminium major Nalco plans to use sophisticated technologies, which do not require explosives, for the extraction of bauxite from Panchpatmali mines here. The Navaratna company also plans to spend Rs 20 crore to strengthen security at its mining site and refinery complex, which is the Asia’s largest bauxite reserve.

“Since the Naxalites are eyeing explosives used in our mines and weapons of the security force, we are planning to adopt new technologies which will not require storage of explosives for mining bauxite,” Nalco Chairman and Managing Director C R Pradhan said.

Technologies like ripper, site mixed slurry (SMS), liquid ammonium nitrate, mechanical and surface miner methods are being examined to finally do away with blasting, he said. “Efforts are on to introduce one or a combination of these technologies at the earliest as it will minimise threat from Naxalites and also slash expenditure,” he said.

The cost in adopting the new technologies would also be much less than what the company was spending on explosives and deployment of CISF personnel, he said. With the reduction in the threat-perception, the need for elaborate security and presence of a large number of CISF personnel would also be minimised, he said.

Pointing out that blasting was never allowed for mining in the north-east, Pradhan said Nalco was already trying ripper and SMS technologies, while surface miner method used by some coal companies could also be an option. “Surface miner machine which costs about Rs 300-400 crore can be used as is being done in coal mines,” he said.

Stating that Nalco was spending over Rs 20 crore per annum on CISF deployment, he said at present there were 417 CISF personnel for both Panchpatmali mines and alumina refinery at Damanjodi and 245 more jawans were being added to beef up security after last month’s Naxalites attack. About Rs 50,000 is being spent by the company on each jawan per month in addition to creation and maintenance of security infrastructure, he said. Apart from adopting new technologies, the company has also worked out an action plan to strengthen security infrastructure at its mines and refinery at a cost of about Rs 20 crore, Pradhan said.