GOVERNMENT OF MINISTRY OF MINES

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.199 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21ST JULY, 2014

COPPER MINES

*199. SHRI : SHRI LAXMAN GILUWA:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

(a) the estimated quantum of copper deposits in various parts of the country, State-wise and the quantum of copper production during each of the last three years and the current year; (b) the details of the closed copper mines which have since been re-opened and quantum of copper being produced from them; (c) whether the Government has also chalked out any plan to re-open the closed copper mines in Singhbhum district of ; (d) if so, the details thereof and the funds being allocated for the purpose; and (e) whether all the dues of the workers of non-functional mines of Singhbhum Copper Belt have been settled and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER FOR MINES, STEEL AND LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO STARRED QUESTION NO. 199 FOR REPLY ON 21.07.2014 REGARDING COPPER MINES.

(a) Total resources of copper ore in the country as on 1.4.2010 were placed at 1558.46 million tonnes, the State-wise break-up of which is given in the statement at Annexure-I. The quantum of copper production which includes copper ore and refined copper during the last three years and the current year is given in the statement at Annexure-II.

(b) Surda mine in the Singhbhum district of Jharkhand was closed on 15.3.2003 and has been reopened in April, 2007. The total quantum of copper ore produced from Surda mines from the year 2007-08 to June, 2014 is 24.57 lakh MT. The year- wise production of ore from Surda mine is given below:-

Sl. Year Ore Metal content No (Lakh MT) (MT) 1 2007-08 0.49 375.0 2 2008-09 3.28 2888.0 3 2009-10 3.87 3374.0 4 2010-11 3.96 3492.0 5 2011-12 3.95 3760.0 6 2012-13 3.98 3701.0 2013-14 3.98 3582.0 7 2014-15(April- 1.06 869.0 June’14)

(c) Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), a Government of India enterprise under the administrative control of the Ministry of Mines has made plans to re-open some of the closes mines in the Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.

(d) Copper mines in Singhbhum district under HCL, namely, Mosabani, Pathrgora, Surda, Kendadih and Rakha mines were closed during the period 1.12.1997 to 15.3.2003 due to economic reasons. Surda mine has since been re-opened by HCL in April, 2007. HCL has finalized investment plan to re-open the closed mines of Rakha and Kendadih subject to Environment and Forest clearances from the Ministry of Environment and Forest. Funds allocated by HCL for re-opening of the mines are given below :-

Project Project Cost (Rs crore) Re- opening 87.0 Kendadih Mine Re-opening Rakha 346.0 Mine

(e) Yes, Madam. The employees’ dues of non-functional mines of HCL have been settled as per rules. **** Annexure-I referred to in reply to part (a) of the Starred Question No. 199 to be answered in the Lok Sabha on 21.7.2014 regarding copper mines.

State wise estimated quantum of copper deposits as per UNFC system is given below: (Unit: ‘000Tonnes) All India/ States Reserves Remaining resources Resources All India ORE 394372 1164086 1558458 METAL 4768.33 7518.34 12286.67 ANDHRA PRADESH ORE 0 8248 8248 METAL 0 122.82 122.82 GUJARAT ORE 5800 7260 13060 METAL 94.53 114.07 208.60 HARYANA ORE 0 32908 32908 METAL 0 113.62 113.62 JHARKHAND ORE 86818 201307 288125 METAL 808.78 2285.49 3094.27 KARNATAKA ORE 2510 31025 33535 METAL 30.65 198.62 229.27 MADHYA PRADESH ORE 198319 178869 377188 METAL 2643.10 1176.47 3819.57 MAHARASHTRA ORE 0 13210 13210 METAL 0 132.70 132.70 MEGHALAYA ORE 0 880 880 METAL 0 9.00 9.00 NAGALAND ORE 0 2000 2000 METAL 0 15.00 15.00 ORISSA ORE 0 6051 6051 METAL 0 63.44 63.44 RAJASTHAN ORE 100916 676255 777171 METAL 1191.18 3199.79 4390.97 SIKKIM ORE 8 950 958 METAL 0.09 21.38 21.47 TAMIL NADU ORE 0 790 790 METAL 0 3.81 3.81 UTTARANCHAL ORE 0 4220 4220 METAL 0 60.04 60.04 WEST BENGAL ORE 0 113 113 METAL 0 2.09 2.09 Annexure-II referred to in reply to part (a) of the Starred Question No. 199 to be answered in the Lok Sabha on 21.7.2014 regarding copper mines.

Quantum of copper production which includes copper ore and refined copper during last three years and the current year is given below:

Table-A Item - Copper Ore

S.No State 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 (April-June14) Ore Metal Ore Metal Ore Metal Ore Metal (Lakh Content (Lakh Content (Lakh Content (Lakh Content MT) (MT) MT) (MT) MT) (MT) MT) (MT) 1 Madhya 20.83 21205 22.54 20578 23.76 22127 5.04 3729 Pradesh 2 Rajasthan 10.00 8760 9.83 8239 10.03 8183 2.64 2163

3 Jharkhand 3.96 3760 4.20 3893 4.48 4108 1.06 870

Table-B

Item - Refined Copper *

(Qty. in lakh tones) S.No. State 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 (April-June, 2014) 1 Gujarat 3.30 3.15 3.32 0.96 2 Tamilnadu 3.26 3.53 2.94 0.66 3 Jharkhand 0.18 0.17 0.17 0.03

* Refined copper is being produced from indigenous production of copper ore as in the table-A and also from imported copper ore concentrates.

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