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Iron ore production in the two mines of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) located in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada registered year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth of 11.67 per cent in 2023-24 (FY24).
Of the three mechanised mines operated by the country’s largest iron ore producer and exporter, two are located at Kirandul and Bacheli in Dantewada district. Both projects contribute the lion’s share in the output for NMDC. The third mine is in Karnataka’s Donimalai.
In FY24, NMDC produced 45.10 million tonnes (MT) of iron ore, up 10.49 per cent Y-o-Y. In FY23, the country’s largest iron-ore producer had recorded an output of 40.82 MT. Of the total output, the Chhattisgarh sector contributed 32.43 MT, the company said.
Compared to the previous year’s 29.04 MT, the production at the Chhattisgarh units jumped 11.67 per cent. The Dolimalai mine produced 12.67 MT of iron ore, up 7.56 per cent Y-o-Y.
Similarly, the company’s sales also surged 16.38 per cent Y-o-Y in FY24. NMDC sold 44.48 MT of steel-making raw material in FY24. Of this, the Chhattisgarh sector contributed 31.33 MT, which was up by 17.87 per cent compared to last year’s 26.58 MT. The Dolimalai sector sold 13.15 MT of iron ore, which was 13.95 per cent more compared to previous year’s 11.54 MT.
In the run-up to this milestone, NMDC’s major iron ore mines delivered their highest-ever annual production in the company’s history. The bottlenecks in pellet production were resolved, leading to the company’s peak volume of 0.26 MT output.
In a statement, NMDC Chief Managing Director (additional charge) Amitava Mukherjee said: “Crossing 45 MT has truly honoured and enriched the NMDC legacy. We have navigated the rigours of the industry, built upon our technical and digital strength, fortified our financial resilience, and worked tirelessly to achieve this goal. In the way forward, NMDC’s compass points north – toward innovation, sustainability, shared purpose and a 100 million tonnes strong future.”
