Goa, where mining industry is in a shambles, today saw its first export consignment of iron ore in one-and-a-half years.
The China-bound consignment of iron ore, bought by a Singapore-based firm through e-auction route, left the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) near here today.
Iron ore mining and export from the coastal State was banned by the Supreme Court in 2012 to curb illegal extraction of the raw ingredient for steel.
Singapore's Bagadiya Brothers has shipped 70,000 tonnes of the ore which it purchased through e-auction process held in the state recently.
"The royalty on the ore has already been paid and we have issued export challan to the exporter," Parag Nagarcekar, Deputy Director, Goa Mines and Geology Department, said.
This was the first export consignment to leave MPT since September 2012 when the mining industry came to a sudden halt following the SC order.
MPT Chairman P Mara Pandiyan told reporters the port has already received Rs 16 crore as a fee for the outbound shipment. The next consignment would be shipped on April 5.
The state government has issued notification allowing transportation of the ore sold to the exporters through the SC-monitored e-auction process.
Iron ore stockpiles, lying at various places in Goa, are being currently e-auctioned by the government.
