India: Odisha extends new easier stacking system to other mines

The revised and improved stacking norms have been extended to all other iron ore in Odisha, a move that should significantly ease ore despatch.

Amending its transport rules, the Odisha government had allowed an increase in stacks from 4000 tonnes to 20,000 tonnes. These stacks are required for the mining department to be able to collect grade of ore but considering their specification - of railway rake size stacks- take up a large amount of space and resources.

In the past miners had preferred to pay royalty on the highest grade to avoid stacking, a compromise that today's miners who also pay a premium cannot afford.

The new system, which was tried out at AMNS Thakurani and JSW Steel's Nuagaon, uses apps on phones that will decide where samples are to be picked on. These then are zip tagged and coded before being sent for testing. The entire stacking must also now be covered by CCTV footage.Also reducing human interference, it's a computer-run random selection that decides which inspector is sent to pick the samples.

Considering the effect on its revenues, the department expects these technological interventions to check under declaration of ore and relaxation in stacks. Tata Steel and Steel Authority of India, whose leases predate the auction era, continue to opt for stacking and paying royalty on the highest grade.