Govt developing policy for low grade iron ore beneficiation: Steel secy

The government is working on a policy for low grade iron ore beneficiation, a move that will increase the usage of iron ore with less iron content in steel production.

Speaking to PTI, Steel Secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha said the Ministry of Steel along with the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India is working on the policy.

When asked about the timeline, he said the policy on the beneficiation of low grade iron ore is expected to be completed within three months' time.

"There may be some concessions on the royalty (on production of fines in the policy)," Sinha said without elaborating further.

While lump ore or high-grade iron ore contains 65.53 per cent Fe (iron), fines are inferior grade ore and have 64 per cent and less Fe content.

The use of iron ore with less iron content needs beneficiation which adds to the cost of steel production.

Earlier, Union Steel Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had asked the domestic steel industry to adopt low-carbon emitting steel-making processes, while cautioning that key raw materials coking coal and iron ore may not be a viable option in the future based on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) parameters.