Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd (KIOCL), the 100 per cent export-oriented public sector firm under the ministry of steel and mines, is scouting for international agencies to access eco-friendly technology for mining at eco-sensitive Kudremukh hills in the Western Ghats in Chikmagalur district without affecting the flora and fauna.
“Throughout the world iron ore mines are available in forest and hill areas. We have to go for optimal utilisation with technology available globally. Available mining techniques include muffle blasting which does not affect the environment. Some coal mines in Raniganj in West Bengal and Jharia in Bihar have been using this technique. While this is a costly technology, we would like to find out cost effective ones too,” K Ranganath, chairman and managing director, KIOCL said.
Muffle blasting seeks to reduce the vibration from an underground blast transmitted to the earth’s surface, thereby damaging structures there.
The beleaguered company had to shut down its captive mines at Kudremukh on January 1, 2006 in compliance with the Supreme Court order of October 2002. The apex court’s order was in response to a public interest litigation filed by an NGO, seeking closure of the mines located in the midst of the biodiverse Western Ghats in southern Karnataka, which is a bedrock of rich iron (magnetite) ore deposits.
“We have put out an advertisement on our website seeking competent international agencies that have expertise to do such studies and suggest measures to carry out eco-friendly mining at Kudremukh area. We want them to conduct a study of the Kudremukh region for two seasons and submit a report on the technology that can be deployed at Kudremukh and conduct mining without affecting the flora and fauna. After we get the report, we have to find out the financial implications and then think of going to the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision,” Ranganath told Business Standard.
Presently, the company is procuring 2.5 mn tonnes of iron ore annually from National Mining Development Corporation for its pellet plant at Mangalore. Recently, the company has been allotted a new iron ore mine at Chikkanayakanahalli in Tumkur district, which has about 10 million tonnes of iron ore reserves.