By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : The state-owned National Aluminium Co Ltd (NALCO) Friday said it had received the central government’s approval for mining lease in Andhra Pradesh where it plans to build a 1.4 million tonne greenfield alumina refinery at an estimated investment of Rs.6,000 crore.
“The government of India has accorded prior approval for the mining lease proposals of the government of Andhra Pradesh for awarding lease to NALCO over Gudem and Katamraju Konda bauxite blocks in Andhra Pradesh,” the company said in a release.
Andhra Pradesh had recommended to the central government to grant mining lease to NALCO. The mines are estimated to have 85 million tonnes of bauxite reserves.
Nalco plans to build a 1.4 million tonne green field alumina refinery based on the Gudem and Katamraju Konda bauxite deposits at Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh at an estimated investment of Rs.6,000 crore.
This investment is part of its ambitious plan “to be a reputed global company in the metals and energy sectors”, the release said.
The refinery is expected to be commissioned by 2013-14. It will have partial production in the same year and will go on full stream the next year,” a senior company official told IANS here.
NALCO produced 1,576,500 tonnes of alumina and 361,262 tonnes of aluminium in 2008-09.