LafargeHolcim to raise limestone prod from Nongtrai mines

Multinational cement giant LafargeHolcim today announced its plans to upscale production and export of limestone from two to five million tonnes per year at its Nongtrai mines in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district.
The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board has issued a public notice fixing January 22 next year for a public hearing for the expansion project at the mines premises at Nongtrai.
"The company has expressed its desire to scale up production and export of limestone from our mines at Nongtrai, doubling from the current two MTPA to five MTPA," a senior official of the company told PTI on condition of anonymity.

"Necessary approvals have been sought from the state government and authorities concerned," he said.
The Company had applied for environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in 2009 in this regard, the official said adding, a summary environmental impact assessment report of the new project has also been released.
At present the parent company, Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd, exports two million tonnes of limestone mined from 100 ha at Nongtrai to its cement factory at Chattak in Bangladesh through a 17 km-long cross-border conveyor belt.
The Lafarge Surma Cement Ltd, the holding company of Lafarge Umiam Mining, is one of the largest publicly traded firms in Bangladesh.

The Supreme Court had in 2011 allowed Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd, a unit of a French-Spanish joint venture, to resume limestone mining in the state with several guidelines besides, green and livelihood programmes for nearby villages.