Vedanta Ltd looks to curb alumina imports to 500,000 tonnes by FY21

Firm currently imports over 2 mn tonnes a year for its two smelters; a reduction in foreign material would help make its aluminium output more cost competitive

Diversified metals and mining conglomerate Vedanta Ltd looks to contain its alumina imports to 500,000 tonnes a year by FY21. 

Each year, the company imports upwards of two million tonnes of alumina to power its smelters at Jharsuguda (Odisha) and Korba (Chhattisgarh). The company leans on foreign supplies as it lacks captive bauxite resources to make sufficient alumina. Vedanta also banks on imported bauxite to feed its alumina refining unit at Lanjigarh, installed at the foothills of Niyamgiri hill range in Odisha.

Vedanta has firmed up plans to ramp up its Lanjigarh capacity to six million tonnes per annum (mtpa).