BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) has registered a significant growth in mineral production during the 2025-26 financial year with iron ore output touching 24.88 million tonnes (MT) as on December 31.
With this, the gold category state PSU has surpassed the production achieved during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal and set the stage for a new all-time record by the end of the fiscal.
The wholly-owned corporation of the Odisha government has recorded an overall mineral production of 29.03 MT, including iron ore, chrome ore, bauxite and other minerals, by the end of December, reinforcing its position as one of the country’s leading mining companies.
OMC’s upward trajectory was particularly evident in the third quarter of 2025-26 when total mineral production stood at 12.94 MT, registering a growth of around 31.5 per cent over the 9.84 MT produced in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The Q3 output included 11.23 MT of iron ore, 0.49 MT of chrome ore, 1.15 MT of bauxite and 0.07 MT of other minerals.
Officials attributed the strong performance to optimised mining operations, favourable operating conditions and strict adherence to safety norms. OMC managing director Sudhanshu Mohan Samal said the strong performance has put OMC firmly on course to surpass last financial year’s total mineral output, which would mark the highest-ever production in the corporation’s history.
"Despite the scale-up in operations, safety remains our utmost priority. The consistent rise in production reflects the collective efforts of our workforce and a strong focus on operational excellence. The current momentum is expected to carry through the fourth quarter of the fiscal," he said.
The corporation's performance has been supported by increased adoption of technology-driven solutions in all its 19 operational mines. OMC has been leveraging several technology-led solutions including logistics management system and fleet management system to improve dispatch planning, ensure quality control, enhance equipment utilisation, minimise downtime and enable real-time monitoring of mining and transportation activities. "Digital enablement has significantly improved productivity and efficiency across the mines," Samal said.
Along with the robust production, OMC, a 100 per cent debt free profit making PSU, has continued to emphasise sustainable and responsible mining practices, with a focus on scientific mining methods, environmental compliance, afforestation, water conservation and progressive mine closure measures.
Industry observers said the consistent growth in mineral output underlines the corporation's critical role in supporting Odisha’s industrial ecosystem and contributing to the state’s economy.
The corporation had paid a dividend of Rs 2,723 crore in 2023-24 and over Rs 8,182 crore in 2024-25 to the state government. It had achieved a record turnover of Rs 23,500 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 23,630 crore in 2024-25. "If the momentum continues, it is expected that OMC will surpass last fiscal’s total mineral output and script a landmark year of record production," they added.