Nickel could be the next engine of growth in Sukinda region in Jajpur district given the abundance of overburden from chromite mines in the area which could be the source of the metal.
Many such interesting pieces of information were shared by experts at a workshop on Integrated Development of Daitari-Bamanipal-Sukinda Valley Mining and Industrial Area organised by the Society of Geoscientists and Allied Technologists (SGAT) at Sukinda.
Speaking on the occasion, Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik said Sukinda Valley, besides containing over 90 per cent of the total reserve of chromite in the country and accounting for over 90 per cent of total production and holding economic concentration of nickel and platinum group of metals, is undoubtedly country’s most strategic region and holds tremendous prospects of massive development on all fronts.
Sukinda MlA Pritiranjan Gharai opined that local people must be given importance in future developmental plans for the region with focus on inclusive growth.
Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division (FAMD), Tata Steel Operations GM RR Satpathy gave vote of thanks in the opening session.
Director of Mines Deepak Mohanty, former bureaucrat Vivek Patttnayak also participated in the deliberations in the closing session, where SGAT general secretary Sujit K Mohanty gave vote of thanks.
While the morning session was chaired by DB Sunara Ramam, Executive-in-Charge, FAMD, Tata Steel, the afternoon session was chaired by Sanjay Pattnaik, Vice President, FIMI and Chairman, Odisha chapter of CII who is also Executive Director, Tata Sponge. How mining technology, exploration, processing and beneficiation, legislative provisions and constraints, environmental concern, social issues could be addressed in a comprehensive way was discussed by mining experts, academia and political representatives at the day-long workshop.
Presentations were made by senior executives of Indian Bureau of Mines, Department of Steel and Mines, Tata Steel, IIT-Kharagpur, Odisha Mining Corporation, DMT Consulting, SRK Consulting, NEERI, Dr R P Das of HydroMet Proc and Utkal Polyclinic.