NMDC commissions ₹5,427-crore integrated slurry pipeline, iron ore processing and pellet project in Chhattisgarh | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: State-run miner NMDC Ltd has commissioned a Rs 5,427-crore integrated iron ore processing, slurry pipeline and pellet-making project in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, marking a major addition to its value-chain operations between Bacheli and Nagarnar.The project comprises a new iron ore processing plant at Bacheli, a 15 million tonne per annum (MTPA) slurry pipeline and a 2 MTPA pellet plant at Nagarnar.The 135-km pipeline, which connects NMDC’s iron ore operations at Bacheli with the company’s steel plant at Nagarnar, will transport processed iron ore concentrate from NMDC’s Bailadila operations to the steel plant, providing an alternative to road movement and reducing dependence on rail evacuation, NMDC said in a press communique on Sunday.The facilities will allow NMDC to process iron ore fines and slimes from the Bailadila mines into concentrate and convert it into pellets for steelmaking. The pellet plant uses Straight Grate Induration technology.The commissioning will beef up NMDC’s capabilities across the iron ore value chain, expanding its presence from mining and beneficiation to slurry transportation and pellet production, while adding a value-added product to its portfolio by making greater use of the iron ore fines and slimes generated from its Bailadila operations.The project forms part of NMDC’s long-term plan to raise iron ore production capacity to 100 million tonnes and improve utilisation of lower-grade material.NMDC chairman and managing director Amitava Mukherjee termed the milestone as a matter of pride for the company. “This has not been an easy project to execute. It involved processing facilities, the actual slurry pipeline and the pellet plant,” Mukherjee said.The slurry pipeline passes through 61 villages in Bastar and Dantewada districts and creates a dedicated link between NMDC’s Bacheli mines and the Nagarnar facility.