SAIL’s raw material unit hits record

KOLKATA: Steel Authority of India’s (SAIL) raw material division, which caters to the raw material requirements of its plants in Bokaro, Durgapur, Rourkela and Burnpur, has completed calendar 2006 with a record iron ore production of 16.83 million tonnes (mt). Incidentally, it was also the division’s best ever production since inception. Individually, iron ore mines at Kiriburu in Jharkhand and Bolani in Keonjhar, Orissa, achieved best ever production of 3.90 mt and 3.56 mt, respectively, during the year, striking a growth rate of 4.39% and 4.58% over 2005.

With a commendable production record, Barsua iron ore mine in Sundergarh, Orissa, notched up a growth of 12.17% in 2006 over the previous year. In December 2006, most of the RMD mines recorded the highest ever monthly production.

While Barsua mines have recorded a growth of 17.6%, Kiriburu and Bolani mines registered a growth of 9.9% and 7.3% .With improvement in RMD’s performance, SAIL has stepped up efforts relating to peripheral development in and around its captive mines. This includes the villages surrounding its prized Chiria mines which is estimated to contain some 2.5 billion tonnes of high quality iron ore reserves.

In December, solar street lights were installed at a cost of Rs 3.5 lakh in Ankua, RonoAnkua, Mundatoi and Bemabara — some of the villages surrounding Chiria iron ore mines. As part of corporate social responsibility, medical camps are being organised in the villages at regular intervals.