Sundargarh: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, on Thursday announced the commencement of operations at the Ghoraburhani- Sagasahi iron ore mine in the district of Sundargarh.
Spread across 139.165 hectares, the iron ore block has estimated resources of around 98.61million tonnes and is the first to be auctioned in India under the Mineral Auction Rule, 2015.
The captive mine is set to produce two million tonnes of high-quality iron ore in the current calendar year and production will gradually be ramped up to its rated capacity of 7.16 MTPA.
It will initially operate with the direct employment of about 600 people and indirect employment of nearly 2500 people. The iron ore will be supplied to the beneficiation plant in Dabuna from where the feed will reach the pellet plant at Paradeep.
AM/NS India Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dilip Oommen said: “We are delighted to start operations at the Ghoraburhani –Sagasahi mine that strengthens our raw material self-sufficiency efforts. ArcelorMittal has significant experience in operating mines that support steelmaking operations across the globe and AM/NS India will draw on the industry leading practices to apply them here.”
“This is yet another step by us towards enabling Odisha to achieve the one trillion-dollar economy target it has set. We seek to ensure the best governance practices and adhere to regulations of national and state governments. AM/ NS India will continue investing in Odisha, a promising hub for Indian steel production,” Mr.Oommen said.
Sundergarh Collectors Nikhil Pavan Kalyan said: “I am pleased to witness the inauguration of the Ghoraburhani –Sagasahi mine. This is the culmination of a series of efforts by the Odisha government to consolidate the state’s position as a hub of manufacturing.”
The entry of the biggest names in manufacturing at a massive scale such as this is an encouraging sign. The Odisha government has been very strong on its priorities, in its commitment towards industries and the country, he added.