New Delhi: SAIL’s Bokaro Steel Plant on Thursday said it is set to receive 8.3 million tonnes (MT) of iron ore annually directly from SAIL mines through a modern slurry pipeline system.
To achieve this, SAIL is developing the longest slurry pipeline in India's steel sector, the company said, adding that this will eliminate dependence on railway rakes for transporting iron ore.
As part of an expansion project, the plant's crude steel production capacity will increase from the current 4.65 MT per annum (MTPA) to 7.25 MTPA, while its hot metal production capacity will be enhanced to 7.55 MTPA. The project involves a direct capital investment of approximately Rs 15,000 crore.
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“This (slurry pipeline) will be the first project of its kind for SAIL and marks a significant step towards ensuring a reliable and uninterrupted supply of raw materials to support Bokaro Steel Plant's future expansion,” the company said.
Under this system, iron ore will be finely ground at the mines, mixed with water to form a slurry, and transported directly to Bokaro Steel Plant through a pipeline.
At present, the process involves rake availability, loading at the mines, rail transportation and unloading at the plant, making the supply chain heavily dependent on railway schedules and logistics.
With the slurry pipeline, iron ore will reach the plant directly and continuously, ensuring a faster, more reliable and uninterrupted supply.
“The pipeline will transport approximately 8.3 MT of iron ore annually from SAIL's Gua and Bolani mines to Bokaro Steel Plant. Iron ore from both mines will first be routed to Jamda, from where a 258-kilometre-long main pipeline will carry it to Bokaro. The pipeline has been designed with additional capacity and will be capable of transporting up to 16 MT of iron ore per year in the future, in line with the planned expansion of the plant,” BSL said in the statement.
Another key feature of the project is its sustainable water management system.
The water used to transport the slurry will be returned to the mines through a separate pipeline for reuse, ensuring significant water conservation and efficient utilisation of natural resources.
The project includes modern ore preparation facilities at the Gua and Bolani mines, pumping stations at both mines and at Jamda, as well as dedicated receiving facilities at Bokaro Steel Plant, the statement said.
“Designed for an operational life of approximately 30 years, the project is targeted for completion in about three and a half years. Besides reducing transportation costs, the project will significantly ease pressure on the railway network," it said.
The need for railway rake allocation and the associated loading, transportation and unloading operations will be virtually eliminated, enabling a seamless and uninterrupted supply of iron ore, the statement added.
Compared to conventional rail and road transportation, it will significantly reduce dust generation, diesel consumption and carbon emissions, making it an important step towards cleaner, greener and more sustainable steel production, it claimed.
Under SAIL Vision 2030, the proposed brownfield expansion project is set to usher Bokaro Steel Plant into a new era of enhanced production capacity, advanced technology, and global competitiveness, the company said.
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The expansion project envisages the installation of a new 4,500 cubic metre blast furnace, a modern steel melt shop, a state-of-the-art Thin Slab Casting and Direct Rolling (TSCDR) facility, a new air separation unit, an advanced raw material handling system, energy recovery systems, and Industry 4.0-based digital automation and Digital Twin technologies.
“The expansion project is expected to generate substantial economic opportunities across construction, engineering, transportation, logistics, equipment manufacturing, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the service sector, and other allied industries,” it said.
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