Goa: Salgaonkar Shipping Company secures second iron ore mining block

The Salgaonkar Shipping Company Private Limited has secured the Bicholim Block-2 for iron ore mining, the Goa government said on Thursday.Chief Minister Pramod Sawant made the announcement here.Vedanta Limited had won the first Bicholim iron ore block on Wednesday.

The Salgaonkar Shipping Company Private Limited has secured the Bicholim Block-2 for iron ore mining, the Goa government said on Thursday.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant made the announcement here.

Vedanta Limited had won the first Bicholim iron ore block on Wednesday. Both the mining blocks are in Bicholim taluka in North Goa district.

Announcing the results of the auction, Sawant tweeted, ''The Bicholim Block-2 has been secured by Salgaonkar Shipping Company Pvt Limited at the auction. Congratulations! The Directorate of Mines and Geology has successfully conducted the auction process in a transparent manner. It asserts the clean and efficient approach of the Govt. of Goa.” The state government had started the auction process for four mining blocks earlier this year, paving the way for resumption of mining in Goa which had been banned by the Supreme Court in 2012 for violation of environmental and other rules.