Mines ministry returns Tata Steel, DeBeers' proposals to AP government

The centre has returned the proposals for mineral concessions by private sector steel major Tata Steel and global diamond supplier De Beers to the Andhra Pradesh government for further action, data available on the mines ministry web site showed. 

The government also cleared a proposal for reconnaissance permit to global mining major ACC Rio Tinto Exploration Company for preliminary survey of an 8,300 sq km area for diamond and other precious minerals, gold, copper, lead, zinc, silver, bismuth and cadmium.

Besides the government has approved a  proposal by Adi Gold Mining Pvt Ltd for prospecting copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, antimony, cadmium, bismuth, tungsten, pyrite, pyrhotite, nickel, cobalt, chromium, platinum (and platinum group elements such as palladium, osmium and iridium), iron ore and diamond  over a total area of 3,504.39 sq km in the Seoni, Narsinghpur and Hoshangabad districts of Madhya Pradesh.

It also cleared a proposal by NAD Pvt Ltd for prospecting for iron ore, manganese ore, titanium, vanadium and nickel  over a 2458 sq. km area in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh.  

Tata Steel had applied for mining leases of minerals like manganese ore, rutile and illemenite, while De Beers India had sought prospecting licence for diamond and associated minerals.

The private sector steel major had applied for mining lease of over 35 sq km in Srikakulam and Vizainagram areas of Andhra Pradesh while De Beers had sought prospecting licence for over 60 sq km in Gooty reserved forest and Kurnool areas of Andhra Pradesh.

A mining lease allows companies to mine minerals while prospecting licence permits detailed prospecting.

The central government has cleared proposals for mineral prospecting by 279 companies for a total area of  3,90,308.094 sq km, beginning 2000 till December, 2008.