NMDC to ramp up production in Bellary

Saturday, 27 Aug 2011

Country's top miner NMDC is in the process of ramping up its production from its Karnataka's facility in Bellary to one million tonnes a month, Mr PK Misra steel secretary said that “I think we should be able to stabilise things soon. In a month's time things will stabilise for the steel sector. NMDC will ramp up its production capacity to one million tones.”

Mr Misra on the sidelines of a CII conference on steel told reporters that the steel and allied industries in the South are now reeling under severe shortages of iron ore, a vital raw material for production.

The issue has come up, following a July 29 ban by the Supreme Court on mining activities in the Bellary district in Karnataka due to environmental degradation of the area.

This led to a severe shortage of iron ore in the South as Bellary accounts for about 80 per cent of Karnataka's total production at about 40 million tonnes annually.

The steel and allied industries had maintained that the partial relief provided by the apex court on August 5, allowing NMDC to mine one million tonnes of ore a month, would not help as the demand was much more.

In a statement here, the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce said iron ore demand of steel and allied industries in Karnataka alone was 2.9 million tonnes a month, while NMDC had been allowed to mine only one million tonnes.

The chamber also said NMDC had been supplying only in the range of 21,000 to 22,000 tonnes a day against the estimated daily production of 33,500 tonnes, to fulfill the criteria of producing one million tonnes a month, as has been ordered by the apex court. Mr Misra said NMDC had also started supplying from Chhattisgarh to meet the shortfall, while some industries were buying from Goa to run their plants.

(sourced from Hindu)

Iranian iron ore output rises by 5.2 percent

August18, 2011

In the first four months of the current Iranian year (started March 21), Iran produced a total of 9.33 million mt of iron ore, up 5.2 percent year on year, according to Iran's Ministry of Industry and Mines.

As previously reported by SteelOrbis, Iranian state-owned iron ore miners produced 8.85 million mt in the first four months of the current Iranian year, which is about six percent higher than in the same period of the last Iranian year, according to the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO).

(sourced steelorbis)

IOC considers doubling iron ore production capacity

Thursday, 18 August 2011

The Iron Ore Mining Company of Canada, a subsidiary of global mining giant Rio Tinto, reported Tuesday that it is in the midst of a study to pursue expanding its mining and infrastructure assets in Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador and Sept Iles, Quebec.

The study will evaluate options to initially increase production to 50 million metric tons per year by 2016. The IOC is already in the process of increasing iron ore capacity to 26 million metric tons per year by 2013. The integrated study will consider multiple alternatives for the expansion, which may include new concentrators, mining pits and related mine, rail, stock handling, and port infrastructure.

"The timing is right for us to look at a project of this magnitude. With the strong market demand for iron ore, the abundance of IOC's resources and the success of our ongoing concentrate expansion program, it is clear that we need to look at how we further grow the business," commented Zoë Yujnovich, President and CEO of the Iron Ore Mining Company of Canada.

(sourced steelorbis)

Ukrainian iron ore mines up output in two months

Saturday, 05 Mar 2011

Interfax Ukraine reported that most Ukrainian mining companies raised iron ore production in January to February.

Poltava Mining, the core asset of the London listed Ferrexpo plc raised commercial pellet production 5.3%YoY to 1.57 million tonnes and concentrate production 2.7% to 1.807 million tonnes.

The Metinvest holding Northern Mining and Beneficiation Plant from Kriviy Rih, told Interfax that it reduced commercial pellet production 16%YoY in January-February to 1.425 million tonnes. Iron ore concentrate output rose 0.6 percent to 2.317 million tonnes.

Metinvest Central Mining, also from Kriviy Rih raised commercial pellet production 0.8%YoY to 393,000 tonnes and concentrate production grew by 9.5% to 988,000 tonnes.

Metinvest also runs Inhulets Mining, which saw iron ore concentrate output rise 7.6%YoY in January to February to 2.393 million tonnes.

Southern Mining, from Kriviy Rih which is controlled by Ukraine's Smart Holding and Lanebrook Ltd, which owns Russia Evraz Group, raised iron ore concentrate production 14.3%YoY in January to February to 1.585 million tonnes. It produced 247,000 tonnes of sinter ore up by 21.6%YoY.

Ukraine as a whole raised crude iron ore production tentatively 2%YoY in January to February to 12.501 million tonnes, the State Property Committee told Interfax. Iron ore concentrate production grew 5% to 10.434 million tonnes. Prepared ore production rose 2% to 10.034 million tonnes, including growth of 6% to 6.646 million tonnes of sinter, however pellet production fell 5 percent to 3.388 million tonnes.

Ukrainian iron ore production in January to February 2011 by company

Tags :Inhulets mining, Lanebrook Ltd, crude iron ore production, sinter