Essar commissions Rs 6,000-cr pellet complex in Odisha

Essar today announced commissioning of its Rs 6,000 crore integrated pellet complex in Odisha that will convert low-grade iron fines into pellets.
With commissioning of this 6 mtpa pellet plant in the first stage, Essar Steel's total pellet capacity has gone up to 14 million tonnes, making it the largest Indian producer of this intermediary product for manufacturing of steel.
The unit is backed by a 253-km long slurry pipeline from the hinterlands of Dabuna for carrying low-grade ore to Paradip.
Another 6 mtpa facility will be completed within a year at the Paradip unit to raise the capacity in Odisha to 12 mtpa and Essar's total capacity to 20 million tonnes, company's Vice-Chairman Firdose Vandrevala said at a press conference here.

Essar Steel also operates an 8 mtpa plant at Visakhapatnam.
This marks completion of the integration process of Essar Steel as it will feed the company's 10 mtpa capacity steel plant in Hazira, Vandrevala said.

In his message on the occasion, Essar's Chairman Shashi Ruia said: "The way this state-of-the-art complex has been designed puts maximum emphasis on achieving our goals in Odisha. It is a matter of pride that Indian engineers delivered this challenging project keeping a balance between growth and sustainability."
It sets a unique example of backward and forward integration as the beneficiation plant located in Dabuna is in close proximity to iron ore mines and by slurry transportation in a cost efficient manner to Paradip where the finished products are transported through a 9.5 km long conveyor belt to Essar berth at port for shipments to desired destination, said Vandrevala.

The slurry pipeline is the most cost effective and fastest mode of transportation that eases significant pressure on rail and road network, with reduced carbon foot print and minimal environmental impact, he said.