India’s ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) has granted approval to Lloyds Metal and Energy Limited (LMEL) to increase output at its Gadchiroli iron ore mine in Maharashtra to 26 million mt per year, from 10 million mt per year at present, government sources said on Monday, June 9.
It also follows close on heels of MoEFCC approving clearing over 900 hectares of forest and cut more than 100,000 trees for LMEL’s proposed ore-washing plant which will clean iron ore, removing dirt and other unwanted bits—to produce higher-quality material for steelmaking.
The Expert Appraisal Committee of MoEFCC reviewed the project and granted clearance with specific conditions. These include compliance with a wildlife management and conservation plan. The mine site is located within the ecologically sensitive Bhamragad Reserve Forest. The committee emphasised the importance of protecting local wildlife and maintaining ecosystem integrity, sources said.