BHUBANESWAR: After a lapse of over three years, the State government has issued notice inviting tenders for e-auction of 11 mineral blocks, including seven new blocks, for grant of mining lease. Three companies have been barred from the bidding process after they surrendered the blocks allotted to them earlier.
Of the 11 blocks offered for auction, seven are iron ore blocks, two iron ore and manganese blocks, one iron ore and dolomite and one bauxite block. Except Nadidih (BICO) whose lease period expired before March 31, 2020, the six blocks of Purheibahal, Chandiposhi, Jumka Pathriposhi Pahar, Dholtapahar, Netrabandha Pahar (West) and Gandhalpada are green field mines.
Similarly, two iron ore and manganese blocks put under the hammer are - Nadidih (Feegrade) and Teherai. Kasia is a composite mineral block of both iron ore (expired leases) while Karlapat is a new block with bauxite deposits. The State government has debarred Sociedade De Fomento Industrial Private Limited, Vishal LPG Industries and Tarama Apartment Private Limited from participating in auction of Nadidih iron ore block (BICO), Nadidih iron ore and manganese block (Feegrade) and Teherai iron ore and manganese block respectively. Previously after successful bidding of the three blocks, they had surrendered their blocks by forfeiting security deposits as they found it unsustainable.
The Goa-based Sociedade De Fomento had bagged Nadidih iron block in Koira circle of Sundargarh district by committing to pay 141.25 per cent premium on the sale value of the ore to the State government. Nadidih iron ore block is one of the oldest in the Koira mining sector which has been in operation since October 1967.
The last date for purchase of tender documents is August 19, 2021 and the last date for submission of the bid is August 24. The cost of the tender document for each mineral block is Rs 5 lakh. However, bidders who had purchased tender documents for a particular mineral block out of the six new mines in response to the October 18, 2019 notice inviting tenders, are not required to pay the tender fee, said the notice issued by the Directorate of Mines. Of the new iron ore blocks, Gandhalpada block in Keonjhar district has the highest ore reserve of 314.37 MT.