Lok Sabha Question No. 4772 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-15
Subject: Copper Mines
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: SANTOSH AHLAWAT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA ADMITTED UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4772 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2016

Copper Mines

## 4772. SMT. SANTOSH AHLAWAT :

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a)  the number of copper mines working in the country at present; and
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  prepared  any  plan  to  increase  the  number      of  mines including copper mines in the country, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL):

Part (a):The following four Copper mines of Hindustan Copper Limited are working in the Country:

|   S.No | Mines            | Location               |   Current Capacity (Million tonne per annum) |
|--------|------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|      1 | Malanjkhand mine | Malanjkhand, M.P       |                                         2    |
|      2 | Khetri mine      | Khterinagar, Rajasthan |                                         0.5  |
|      3 | Kolihan mine     | Khterinagar, Rajasthan |                                         0.55 |
|      4 | Surda mine       | Ghatsila, Jharkhand    |                                         0.4  |

Part  (b):  Hindustan  Copper  Limited  (HCL),  has  made  plans  to  increase  the  number  of  copper mines as per details given below:

| S.No   | Item                       | Location                   | Proposed Capacity (Million tonne per annum)   |
|--------|----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| I      | Re-opening of closed mines | Re-opening of closed mines | Re-opening of closed mines                    |
| i      | Rakha Mine                 | Ghatsila, Jharkhand        | 1.5                                           |
| ii     | Kendadih                   | Ghatsila, Jharkhand        | 0.2                                           |
| II     | Development of new Mines   | Development of new Mines   | Development of new Mines                      |
| i      | Banwas mine                | Khterinagar, Rajasthan     | 0.6                                           |
| ii     | Chapri-Sidheswar           | Ghatsila, Jharkhand        | 1.5                                           |

The  Mines  &  Minerals  Development  and  Regulation  (MMDR)Act,1957  has  been amended  and  the  MMDR  (Amendment)  Act  has  come  into  force  with  effect  from  12 th January,2015.Through  this  Amendment  Act  reforms  in  the  mining  sector  have  been introduced.  The most important provision of the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015 is the grant of mineral concessions for major minerals including iron ore through auction by competitive bidding which is a transparent and non-discriminatory method and which will also obtain for the  State  Government  its  fair  share  of  value  of  the  mineral  resources.  The  Central Government is facilitating State Governments in auctioning of mineral blocks. So far  total of 17 blocks have been auctioned.

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