Page 15 - Mining Industry

India's coal imports register 27% rise in December, reaches 23.35 MT

India's coal import registered a rise of 27.2 per cent to 23.35 Million Tonne (MT) in December, over the corresponding month of the previous fiscal. The coal ministry is aiming for zero thermal coal import by FY26. The country's coal import was 18.35 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal, according to data compiled by mjunction services ltd. mjunction services ltd is a B2B e-commerce platform. "Coal imports in December 2023 stood around 23.35 million tonne...Imports in December 2023 were up by 27.25 per cent as compared to 18.35 MT recorded for December 2022," it said. Of the total imports in December, non-coking coal imports stood at 15.47 MT, against 10.61 MT imported in December 2022. Coking coal import volume was 4.84 MT, against 4.71 MT imported in the same month of the previous financial year. The coal import in the April-December period of the current fiscal increased to 192.43 MT, over 191.82 MT in the year-ago period. During the April-December period of t

Mine bidders to face penalties for delays; Centre proposes timelines

The government has outlined timelines for various activities involved in the process, accompanied by penalties for delays attributable to the bidder

Vedanta Resources makes upfront payment of $779 mn to bondholders

Metals and mining giant Vedanta Resources Ltd on Friday said it has made an upfront payment of USD 779 million to its bondholders and completed repayments as part of the debt restructuring exercise. The upfront payment to the bondholders was made on Wednesday, Vedanta Resources Ltd (VRL) said in a statement. VRL has completed repayments to its bondholders on February 7, 2024, in line with the consents it received earlier in the year in which maturities of USD 3.2 billion in bonds were successfully extended to 2029, the statement said. "Vedanta Resources has successfully made an upfront payment of USD 779 million in cash on February 7 to bondholders to redeem a portion of the bonds, and extend their maturities," the company, promoted by billionaire Anil Agarwal, said. It has also paid a consent fee of USD 68 million to the bondholders who had agreed to the restructuring, the company said. Vedanta in January received consent from bondholders to restructure four series of bonds to ea

Vedanta weighs sale of minority stake holding in Zambian copper assets

Vedanta will remain the majority shareholder in the unit if a minority stake is sold, Griffith said in an interview on the sidelines of an African mining conference in Cape Town

Ola Electric considers bidding for mining rights of lithium blocks

Amid growing energy needs, India is trying to encourage electric vehicle production to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports

SRAM & MRAM forms JV with Indonesian firm to offer coal supply solutions

UK-based conglomerate SRAM & MRAM Group has formed a joint venture with Indonesian company Energi Alam BORNEO to offer coal supply solutions, according to a statement. The joint venture aims to optimize the procurement and distribution of Indonesian coal in the worldwide energy market, SRAM & MRAM Group said on Saturday. The group said that the joint venture is expected to supply around 300,000 tonnes of Indonesian coal worth USD 30 million (around Rs 250 crore) every month to the Indian market. Energi Alam BORNEO is a major coal trading company in Indonesia. The company sources coal from East Kalimantan, known for the largest coal content in Indonesia and caters to various industries such as power plants, cement, chemical, and industrial applications. SRAM & MRAM Group is a global conglomerate with diverse interests spanning various industries such as oil, technology, agriculture, airport solutions and cybersecurity. Hemalata Arumugam, Group CEO of SRAM & MRAM Group ..

Interim Budget: Critical minerals supply chain security takes prominence

In her Budget speech, the Finance Minister's emphasis on critical minerals signals a government commitment to achieving self-reliance in the supply of minerals crucial for cutting-edge technology

Core sector growth hits 14-month low of 3.8% in Dec due to high base

Only fertilisers and cement sectors see acceleration in output

Pentagon plans AI-based program to estimate prices for critical minerals

The program, which received little attention after it was announced on a Pentagon website in October, is part of Washington's broader efforts to jumpstart U.S. production of critical minerals

Centre asks GSI, others to increase pace of mineral blocks exploration

The government on Monday asked the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and other agencies to speed up exploration of mineral blocks. Speaking at the 63rd Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) meeting, Mines Secretary V L Kantha Rao urged state governments to be more aggressive in the implementation of exploration projects through the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) funding. The GSI and other exploration agencies should increase the pace of exploration of critical minerals, Rao said. He further urged stakeholders to make use of geoscience data available in the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) portal for a smooth exploration process, the mines ministry said in a statement. The GSI has formulated about 1,055 scientific programmes for 2024-25, including 392 mineral development projects that have the potential to generate auctionable mineral blocks, in the near future.

Coal India plans to begin mining of critical minerals, including lithium

State-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) is mulling entering into the mining of critical minerals, including lithium, an official said. CIL plans to get a block from the government for exploration and once lithium reserves are proved, the PSU would go for mining, the official said. Lithium is the 'cosmic' mineral which is needed as part of the country's energy security plans. It is being seen as a game-changer mineral to achieve the Net Zero goals in the coming years. "We will take one block from Government of India and do exploration and once lithium is proved then we can go for mining," Coal India Director (Technical) B Veera Reddy told reporters here. Reddy also holds the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Central Coalfields Ltd. Coal India's core business is mining, he said and exuded confidence that the PSU will definitely be successful in the mining of critical minerals. "We have expertise in coal mining and we can divert all our resources for mining of ..

India signs an agreement to acquire five lithium mines in Argentina

This is the first ever lithium exploration and mining project by a government company of India

Govt to pump Rs 200 cr to explore, develop five lithium blocks in Argentia

India will pump in about Rs 200 crore to explore and develop five lithium mines in Argentia, the government said on Monday. Lithium is the single most important critical mineral for the energy transition; a fundamental component of lithium-ion batteries, which power electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems. An agreement was signed between Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), state-owned joint venture formed to scout for minerals overseas, and Catamarca Minera Y Energtica Sociedad Del Estado (CAMYEN), a government-owned mining and energy corporation in the Catamarca province of Argentina to this effect. KABIL is also preparing to set up a branch office at Catamarca, Argentina. The project cost is about Rs 200 crore. "KABIL will start exploration and development of 5 lithium brine blocks viz 1. Cortadera-I, 2. Cortadera-VII, 3. Cortadera-VIII, 4. Cateo-2022- 01810132 and 5. Cortadera-VI covering an area of about 15,703 Hectare, located in the Catamarca province of Argentina,

S&P downgrades Vedanta Resources to selective default after debt extension

S&P Global Ratings has downgraded debt-laden Vedanta Resources Ltd to 'selective default' after the mining conglomerate concluded a deal with creditors to extend the maturities of its three dollar bonds. "We view Vedanta Resources' just concluded liability management exercise, which involved three of its US dollar-denominated bonds, as a distressed transaction," the rating agency said in a statement. The junk-rated Vedanta had last week stated that its bondholders have approved extension of the maturities of USD 3.2 billion of bonds maturing in 2024 and 2025. Under the deal, the company will pay USD 779 million upfront, with the remaining principal extended by as much as four years. "On January 12, 2024, we lowered our long-term issuer credit rating on Vedanta Resources to 'SD' (selective default) from 'CC'. We also lowered the issue ratings on the company's bonds due January 2024, August 2024, and March 2025 to 'D' from 'CC'," S&P said. The issue rating on the UK- and ...

Conduct 5-day operation to crackdown on mining mafia: Raj CM to officials

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday directed officials to crackdown on the "mining mafia" in the state by conducting a five-day operation. Chairing a meeting of the mines and geology department here, he said preventing illegal mining, especially of gravel, is the priority of his government. Only strict and effective action will curb illegal mining in the state, Sharma stressed. He directed that a five-day joint campaign by police, district administrations, forest department, transport department and mines department be conducted to take strict action against the "mining mafia". Drones and other modern technology should be used to check illegal mining in the state, Sharma said. The chief minister also directed that a task force be formed under the chairmanship of the chief secretary to prevent illegal mining. Only when strict enforcement of the law is ensured, there will be fear among those involved illegal mining, Sharma said. He directed district superintendent

GMDC gets green approval for expanding Surkha lignite mine in Gujarat

State-owned GMDC on Monday said that it has received a green nod to expand the capacity of its Surkha lignite mine in Gujarat. The environment clearance was accorded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC) for expanding the capacity of Surkha (N) lignite mine from 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 5 MTPA. This expansion not only signifies increased production but also aligns with Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation's (GMDC) commitment to sustainability and responsible resource utilisation, the company said in a statement. "The approval of environmental clearance for the capacity expansion of Surkha (N) lignite mine is a pivotal moment for GMDC. This project's success is integral to our overall growth and revenue generation perspective," the company's Managing Director Roopwant Singh said. The enhanced lignite production capacity is likely to drive substantial revenue growth for GMDC, the statement added. "The expansion of lignite production ...

Weapons, Rs 5 cr cash recovered by ED during raids in Haryana mining case

Foreign-made weapons, about 300 cartridges, Rs 5 crore cash and more than 100 liquor bottles have been recovered during searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate against former INLD MLA Dilbag Singh and his associates, official sources said on Friday. The central agency had launched raids against the former legislator and Congress MLA from Sonipat Surender Panwar on Thursday as part of a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in Haryana's Yamunanagar district. About Rs 5 crore cash, alleged "illegal" foreign-made weapons, around 300 cartridges, more than 100 liquor bottles, 4-5 kg of gold and documents pertaining to assets in India and abroad have been recovered from the premises linked to Singh and his associates, the sources said. The searches at some locations are continuing, they said. Around 20 locations of the two politicians and linked entities in Yamunanagar, Sonipat, Mohali, Faridabad, Chandigarh and Karnal were covered during the raids conducted un

Supreme Court's stay will hurt sector, says mining industry experts

Petitioner argues EIA ineffective if damage already done

ED raids Jharkhand CM's press advisor, others in 'illegal mining case'

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday raided the premises of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's press advisor, the officials of Sahibganj district and a former MLA as part of a money laundering probe into alleged illegal mining in the state, official sources said. About a dozen locations in the state, including in state capital Ranchi and a premise in Rajasthan, are being raided by the central agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The premises of press advisor Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu, the collector of Sahibganj district, ex-MLA Pappu Yadav, an architect, some jail department officials and a police constable are being searched by the agency officials, sources said. An armed escort of central security forces went along with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. Prasad has been questioned by the ED in this case earlier. Sources said the action was undertaken on the receipt of fresh inputs in the case. The raids com

EU targets world's biggest diamond miner Alrosa as part of Russia sanctions

The European Union imposed sanctions on the world's biggest diamond mining company and its chief executive officer on Wednesday as part of what it called its unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the war against Russia. The move targeted Alrosa, which accounts for about 90% of Russia's diamond production, and CEO Pavel Marinychev. The EU headquarters said the company constitutes an important part of an economic sector that is providing substantial revenue to Moscow. It means Alrosa's assets in Europe will be frozen and EU citizens and companies will be barred from making funds available to the company. Marinychev, who was appointed CEO last May for three years, also faces a travel ban in Europe. The EU had already banned the import, purchase or transfer of Russian non-industrial natural and synthetic diamonds and diamond jewelry from Jan. 1. The measure applies to diamonds originating in Russia, exported from Russia, transiting through Russia and Russian diamonds processed ...