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| Reaching towards world standards in
chrome beneficiation |
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In order to ensure mineral conservation, Tata Steel has
raised its beneficiation capacity from its 1990 nameplate capacity of 1.08 lakh tonnes per
annum (LTPA) to 4 LTPA.
Under the National Mineral Policy of 1983,
“conservation of minerals shall be construed not in the restrictive sense of
abstinence from consumption or preservation for future use, but as a positive concept
leading to augmentation of the resource base through improvements in mining methods,
beneficiation and utilisation of low grade ore and rejects, recovery of associated
minerals in the requirements of minerals per unit of material output, etc.”
Measures undertaken by Tata Steel
It is in line with this interpretation that Tata Steel has taken measures to enhance its
current Chrome Concentrate beneficiation capacity. The initiatives undertaken by the
company include: three shift operation as against nameplate capacity based on single shift
platform; enhanced plant availability due to introduction of modern maintenance practices;
capital investment by way of installation of additional beneficiation circuits;
development of a bedding and blending yard for ensuring availability of desired feed
stock.
The company plans to further increase its capacity to 7
LTPA through an investment of Rs 37 crore. Tata Steel believes, that there is inadequate
capacity in the country to process the real generation of low grade chromite, arising in
the course of mining. As of now it goes into the stockpile.
Chrome concentrate is not traded in the domestic market as
there is no demand for it among Indian ferrochrome manufacturers. The entire concentrate
produced in the country is exported to China, Japan, South Africa and Europe. The
concentrate produced by Tata Steel is the only such product from India to be accepted
internationally, even by the quality-conscious Japanese market.
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Tata Steel has been a pioneer in mining
and processing iron ore in the country. In 1907, the Company was the first to put iron ore
to industrial use; in 1953 it set up a plant for beneficiation; and in 1968 constructed
the first Slime Dam. On February 2004, the Company took another pioneering step by setting
the ball rolling for a Jigging and Hydro Cyclone Plant.
The ground breaking ceremony for the Jigging and
Hydro Cyclone Plant at Noamundi was performed by Dr. T. Mukherjee, Deputy Managing
Director, Steel in the presence of hundreds of employees and stakeholders. Among the
distinguished guests who attended the ceremony were Mr. A D Baijal, VP, RM & IM, Mr.
Avinash Prasad, GM, OMQ and Mr B K Singh, Chief, MRO. Jigging plant is the first of its
kind in the country for beneficiation of iron ore fines. It will enable Tata Steel to
produce international quality iron ore fines, as well as will improve the production at
the Blast Furnaces.