Mining industry to cross Rs 1.27 lakh cr in four years

"Considering India's mineral resources, we believe there is strong potential for further development and scaling up of the country's mining industry.

"We believe the mining industry could grow to $30 billion-plus by FY12 and reach 2.5 per cent of the GDP if India develops a conducive regulatory framework and attracts significant investment in exploration, mine development and infrastructure," a report by financial services firm Edelweiss stated.

 

The report on metals and mining pointed out that India has immense natural resources and is ranked among the top-10 nations for deposits in iron ore at 25.2 billion tonnes (bt), coal 257.4 bt and bauxite 3.3 bt. These constitute 3 per cent, 10 per cent, and 4 per cent of the world's resources.

The country also holds leading positions in mica (No. 1), barytes (No. 2), chromite (No. 4), kaolin (No. 4), and manganese (No. 7), the report said.

The report said the proposed National Mineral Policy and the allotment of captive coal blocks (in effect opening up the nationalised coal sector) are the key triggers for future development of mining in India.

The ongoing bull run in minerals has created enormous wealth for investors. Market cap of the leading global mining companies has increased at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 39 per cent per annum from calender year 2001 to 2007, while the corresponding figure for top Indian miners is a whopping 139 per cent per annum.

"As the Indian mining industry scales further, we see both new and existing mining players offering significant wealth creation opportunities to investors," it said.

Major companies in the mining space in the country are Sesa Goa, Adhunik Metaliks, Tata Steel (which is mainly a end-user), McNally Bharat (MHE) and JSW Steel.

In September 2005, the Hoda Committee under the chairmanship of Anwarul Hoda was constituted to review the National Mineral Policy, 1993, with an aim to improve the investment climate for mining in the country.

Some highlights of the Hoda Committee report are - prioritising critical infrastructure needs of the mining sector, review existing procedures for granting reconnaissance permits, prospecting license, mining lease, identifying ways of augmenting state revenues among others, it added.