Date | Feb 06, 2017:

The Indian steel industry has been pursuing research & development (R&D) activities for beneficiation of iron ore / fines / slimes. The Government is also supplementing the R&D efforts of the industry by providing financial assistance for R&D activities with regard to beneficiation & agglomeration of the iron ore & fines.

The research and development activities in SAIL’s captive Iron ore mines are undertaken by Research & Development Centre of Iron and Steel (RDCIS) unit at Ranchi. The following are R& D projects undertaken:

1. Improvement in sinter productivity through deep beneficiation and agglomeration technologies for rational utilization of low grade iron ores and fines by National Metallurgical laboratory (CSIR-NML)
2. Quality Improvement of Low Grade Iron Ore by RDCIS, SAIL
3. Beneficiation of iron Ore slimes from Barsua by RDCIS, SAIL

Details of exploration of iron ore by NMDC are as under:

1. NMDC is continuously carrying out mineral exploration activities involving drilling activities in its iron ore mining leases in Bacheli & Kirandul complexes at Bailadila, South Bastar, Dantewada District, Chhattisgarh and Donimalai & Kumaraswamy, Bellary District, Karnataka.
2. NMDC has signed a tripartite MoU in Madhya Pradesh and under this MoU, NMDC is conducting exploration in Sidhi iron block in parts of Sidhi & Singrauli District, Madhya Pradesh.
3. Iron ore exploration is being done by NMDC under JV company in Jharkhand in Sasangada iron ore area, West Singhbhum District.

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel Sh. Vishnu Deo Sai in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today gave this information.

(Source: http://www.business-standard.com/)