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NMDC setting up plant to process low grade iron ores

NMDC is setting up a 0.36 million tonnes a year mini beneficiation plant at a cost of INR 150 crore to process low grade iron ores.

According to the Union Ministry of Steel, NMDC has already done laboratory and pilot tests to beneficiate two specific low iron content ores BHJ and BHQ available in its Donimalai mines in Karnataka.

Dwindling of high grade ores has forced Indian iron ore miners to use low grade ores containing 30% to 40% Fe and high impurities such as alumina and silica.

Based on the optimum process flow sheet developed at its R&D centre, NMDC was setting up the plant, one of the first plants of its kind in the country, said a Ministry report. Based on the experience at Donimalai, NMDC has also proposed to set up similar facility at Bailadila in Chhattisgarh.

The ministry noted that “They are going in for a bench scale facility soon.”