Team Herald
PANJIM: With Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL) yet to submit the Geological Survey Report (GSR), the iron ore mining leases auctioning process might not be anytime soon.
Though, in its preliminary report, MECL has identified five iron ore mining blocks, having approximately 25 million tonnes of ore reserves for auction, the agency is expected to take another two-three months to complete the process.
Also, the Goa Mineral Development Corporation though notified in September last year, in the absence of any rules, it has failed to start functioning.
Highly placed sources confirmed that MECL will take another two-three months to complete the GSR and submit the report. Once, MECL finalises its report and the blocks to be auctioned, the leases will be transferred to the Mineral Corporation, with government approval, for auction.
In its preliminary report, sources said MECL has identified five blocks, with approximately 25 million tonnes ore reserves, that can be put up for auction. “All these blocks are in North Goa and have been non-operational for years due to various reasons. These are the mining leases, which are not in any litigation,” sources said.
MECL, which had commenced site inspections of 77 leases in October, last year, to quantify the ore lying, is in advance stage of final GSR, which would be the base for identifying the number of leases to be put up for auction.
