New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL), a Miniratna PSU under the Ministry of Mines, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Odisha Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (OMECL) at Bhubaneswar for augmenting the exploration of Odisha's rich mineral resources. The MoU has been signed by MECL's CMD Dr Ranjit Rath and OMECL's Managing Director Vineel Krishna on behalf of OMECL. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi; Minister for Steel, Mines and Works government of Odisha Prafulla Mallick; Chief Secretary Govt. of Odisha Suresh Chandra Mohapatra and Secretary Steel & Mines, Odisha and Chairman OMC Surendra Kumar were also present at the MoU signing ceremony.
Odisha state is endowed with large resources of bauxite, china-clay, chromite, coal, dolomite, fireclay, graphite, gemstones, iron ore, limestone, manganese ore, mineral sand, nickel ore, pyrophyllite and quartz. Odisha is the leading producer of chromite, graphite, bauxite, manganese ore, iron ore, sillimanite, quartzite, pyroxenite and dolomite. The State hosts the country's sole resources of ruby and platinum group of metals. It accounts for the country's 95 percent chromite, 92 percent nickel ore, 69 percent cobalt ore, 55 percent bauxite, 51 percent titaniferous magnetite, 40 percent limestone, 36 percent pyrophyllite, 33 percent iron ore (hematite), 26 percent sillimanite, 25 percent each fireclay & garnet, 24 percent each coal & zircon and 20 percent vanadium ore resources.
With an impeccable credential of over 48 years, as a notified exploration agency, MECL is mandated to undertake a detailed exploration of mineral acreages and currently operates pan India with a portfolio of all the major and precious minerals offering integrated mineral exploration services including preparation of Geological Reports and consultancies to central governments, state governments and CPSEs etc. The government of Odisha has established OMECL to strengthen the institutional set up for mineral exploration in the state, and to upscale the mineral exploration activities so that the potential of the mining sector is achieved through the scientific exploration of mineral resources.
On the occasion, Dr Rath said that by joining hand with OMECL the exploration activities of the state will be augmented and additional mineral resources in the state will be established, which will lead to the identification of more blocks for auctioning in the Greenfield as well as Brownfield area.
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