Tata Steel Mining Limited (TSML), formerly known as TS Alloys Ltd., successfully completed the mining lease for Kamarda Chromite Mine and Saruabil Chromite Mine in the Jajpur district of Odisha on 26 June 2020. The agreements were formally signed by Ranjan Kumar Das, IAS, Collector and District Magistrate, Jajpur, and M C Thomas, Managing Director, Tata Steel Mining Limited, Jajpur, and M C Thomas, Managing Director, Tata Steel Mining Limited, Jajpur.
These mines have been auctioned by the Government of Odisha and leases are granted for a period of 50 years. Among the commercial leases that expired on 31 March 2020 and auctioned, these are the first leases to be converted into mining leases across India.
After becoming the highest bidder, the company was awarded a vesting order by the Government of Odisha in May 2020. TSML has completed all steps, such as upfront payments, implementation of the Mine Development and Production Agreement (MDPA) and has maintained all other eligibility criteria. The Government of Odisha, for its part, granted the vesting order with all the clearances for a period of two years and declared the Company a successful bidder before formally communicating the grant order allowing the lease to be executed.
Commenting on the development, M C Thomas, Managing Director, TSML said: “We would like to thank the Government of Odisha for providing exceptional support for the processing of these approvals in less than 30 days from the date of the LoI. We consider this to be a significant milestone for Tata Steel Mining Limited.”
TSML is a 100 % subsidiary of Tata Steel Limited and is headquartered in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. In addition to the Ferro Alloys business, TSML works to develop commercial mining opportunities.
