Tata Steel subsidiary, Tata Steel Mining (TSML), has firmed up plans to double its ferro chrome manufacturing capacity in India from the current 4.5 lakh tonne per annum to 9 lakh TPA. TSML has already become India’s largest chrome ore mining company after acquiring Sukinda chromite mine, Saruabli chromite mine and Karmada chromite mine via the government’s auction route. The mines, with lease period of 50 years, have already become operational with an annual capacity of over 1.5 million tonne. TSML acquired the three chromite mines in 2020 after earlier leases expired in March 31 last year. It first started its operation in the Sukinda mines in September last year following which it started operations of the Saurabil and Karmada mines in November last year transferreing the leases from commercial to mining.
The company has ferro chrome plants at Athagarh and Gopalpur in Orissa. “We will take the organic as well as the inorganic route to augment our ferro chrome manufacturing capacity in India. This will make TSML the top ferro chrome player in India and among the top-five globally”, DB Sundara Ramam, Vice President raw materials, Tata Steel said adding,”‘it makes sense to focus on value addition and convert the chrome ore to ferro chrome” though he didn’t want to tell the investment involved in becoming the country’s top ferro chrome player.
The steel major decided to consolidate all its mining activities and realign its domestic business into four verticals namely steel products, downstream, mining and infrastructure. The company is working towards developing commercial mining opportunities besides developing its ferro alloys business.
