There is an urgent need to increase steel production which would require exploration of unmined iron ore deposits, Indian Bureau of Mines Controller General C S Gundewar has said.
India has large resources of iron ore with the estimated capacity of 28.52 billion tonnes and hematite and magnetite are the most prominent iron ores found in India in the ratio of 63:37, Gundewar said here.
Speaking as chief guest on the National Technology Day celebrated at CSIR's National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) here on Tuesday, he said India is the fourth largest producer of steel in the world.
Iron ore in the country is instrumental in enhancing steel production and simultaneously strengthening the economy, he added.
At present the country is producing 65 million tonnes steel, but as per the National Steel Policy of this figure should reach 180 million tonnes by 2020, he said.
Magnetite reserves could not be exploited for steel production so far due to its occurrence in eco-fragile areas of Western Ghats. This could be a reason that export of iron ore has decreased in the recent years, he said.
He emphasised the need to practice scientific mining with eco-friendly technologies so as to minimise its adverse impact likely on the environment.
Consumption of iron ore (hematite) in iron and steel making in the country is only around 45-50 per cent of the domestic production, whereas remaining iron ore is exported at present due to inadequacy of suitable agglomeration facilities (pelletisation in particular), Gundewar said.
NEERI Director Satish R Wate, and its head (R&D planning division) Prakash Kumbhare were also present on the occasion.
