New Delhi: Metal and mining conglomerate Sesa Sterlite hopes to start mining in Goa in the second half of the current fiscal.
"We are engaging with the State Government and MoEF to gain approvals for starting mining on our leases in Goa, and we expect production to start in the second half of the financial year," the company has said in its annual report.
The Supreme Court had lifted an about 18-month old ban on Goa mining in April this year, subject to certain conditions. The apex court had also held that all mining leases in the state, including those of Sesa Sterlite, have expired in 2007.
"Consequently, no mining operations can be carried out until renewal/execution of mining lease deeds by the state government. The company is working towards securing the necessary permissions for commencement of operations at the earliest," Sesa Sterlite said.
Sesa Sterlite, which also has mining operation in Karnataka, resumed mining in the southern state in December last year. The company has an annual capacity of 2.29 MT and it mined 1.5 MT since restarting operations on December 28, 2013.
On Liberia iron ore project, it said, "We are currently working with the government of Liberia on infrastructure solutions for evacuation of the ore once mining operations starts."
