Bhubaneswar: State-run NALCO (National Aluminium Company Limited), a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Mines, has recorded its highest-ever bauxite production from Panchpatmali Mines. With more than 100 percent capacity utilisation, NALCO's Panchpatmali Mines achieved bauxite production of 73.02 lakh MT in financial year 2019-20, which is the highest-ever since the company's inception.
On Panchpatmali hills of Koraput district in Odisha, a fully mechanised opencast mine is in operation since November 1985, serving feedstock to Alumina Refinery at Damanjodi located on the foothills. The present capacity of the mines is 68.25 lakh TPA. Panchpatmali plateau stands at an elevation of 1,154 m to 1,366 m above mean sea level. Bauxite occurs over the full length of the Panchpatmali plateau, which spans over 18 kms.
Bauxite transportation has gone up to 73.02 lakh MT, which is also the highest-ever so far. NALCO's Alumina Refinery has produced its highest-ever 21.61 lakh MT of Alumina Hydrate and set a new record. The steam and power plant (SPP) of Alumina Refinery has also achieved its highest-ever net power generation.
The Aluminium Smelter of NALCO has achieved more than 90 percent capacity utilization with cast metal production of 4.18 lakh MT in spite of facing acute coal crisis in the monsoon season and also the recent Coronavirus pandemic. Also, the DC energy consumption at company's smelter plant was at its lowest in FY 2019-20.
Attributing the record performance to the teamwork and the dedication of employees, NALCO CMD Sridhar Patra said, "In the ongoing sluggish metal market, we would be able to tide over the downturn by continuing to keep our focus on bauxite mining and alumina refining arm, coupled with several cost reduction measures."
Even as India is under a shutdown due to the COVID 19 crisis, NALCO's all units are operational with reduced manpower and are contributing to the economy. The company is implementing adequate social distancing and sanitization measures in its plants and residential areas to safeguard its employees and workers against Coronavirus exposure.