MSPL resumes operation in iron ore mine

Leading iron ore miner MSPL's flagship open cast mine Vyasanakere Iron Ore Mine in Karnataka resumed operation recently after it completed the rehabilitation and reclamation measures prescribed by the central empowered committee (CEC).

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court allowed category 'A' and Category 'B' mines in Karnataka to resume operation after completing Reclamation and Rehabilitation (R&R) works prescribed by the Monitoring Committee.

The mine had stopped its operations since January 2009. The mine is one of the largest iron ore mine in the private sector with an area of 347.22 hectare, near Hospet with an annual production sanction of 0.91 million tonnes per annum. MSPL?s flagship open-cast iron ore mine stopped operations since January 2009.

The CEC classified the mines as ?A?, ?B? and?C?, on an ascending scale of violations. While 45 mines with minor violations were in the first category,as many as 72 mines that had encroached on 10 per cent of land outside the lease area and had dumped 15 per cent of their waste outside the lease area were placed in the?B? category.

The Supreme Court has not given permission for the ?C? category mines, numbering 49, as they are charged with encroachments and dumping of waste.