Pre-project activities at Pottangi bauxite mines underway: Nalco CMD

Pre-project activities like obtaining green clearance for execution of the mining lease of Pottangi bauxite mines in Koraput district of Odisha and construction of an 18-km over land conveyor are underway, Nalco Chairman-cum-Managing Director Sridhar Patra said on Thursday.

In his speech at the 40th Annual General Meeting of the company, Patra said Pottangi bauxite mines have been reserved by the Centre in favour of Nalco for meeting the bauxite requirement of its one million tonnes alumina refinery expansion project.

''The mining plan has already been approved,'' he added.

Important milestones like preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) report, conduct of public hearing, identification of compensatory afforestation land for diversion of forest land and engagement of consultant for selection of technology of over land conveyor have already been completed.

He further said the company is in the process of setting up of the fifth stream in its existing alumina refinery which will add one million tonnes per year (MTPY) to its existing normative production capacity of 2.1 MTPY (total capacity 3.1 MTPY), at a projected expenditure of Rs 6,435.90 crore at December 2018 price level.

''This 5th stream expansion is based on improved Medium Pressure Digestion technology of Rio Tinto Alcan International Ltd (RTAIL) which is cost effective,'' he said.

National Aluminium Company Ltd (Nalco) is a Navratna CPSE under Ministry of Mines. It was established on January 7, 1981, with its registered office at Bhubaneswar.