MECL to assess mineral resources by conducting geo-scientific exploration and establish state’s mineral inventory

Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) a premier notified mineral exploration agency under the aegis of Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Directorate of Mines & Geology (DMG), Government of Goa, offering integrated mineral exploration and consultancy services today at New Delhi.

With the signing of MoU, MECL will assess mineral resources by conducting an array of geo-scientific exploration and will finalise the mineral blocks to be auctioned and establish the state’s mineral inventory.

The recent amendments to the MMDR Amendment Act 2021, Mineral (Auction) Second Amendment Rules, 2021 and Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules will further pave the way for states to fast track the auction process of their mineral acreages, thus making role of DMG, Government of Goa pivotal in the process of assessment and allocation of their mineral acreages.

The signatory to the MoU were Dr. Ranjit Rath, CMD, MECL and Shri Vivek H. P, Director, DMG, Goa in the august presence of Shri Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Parimal Rai, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Goa, Shri Satendra Singh, Joint Secretary to Govt. of India, Ministry of Mines and other senior officials of Govt. of India and Govt. of Goa.

The State of Goa has been bestowed with large deposits of Iron Ore (1,456 Million Tonnes) as well as the significant occurrence of other major minerals like Bauxite (55 Million Tonnes) and Manganese Ore (34 Million Tonnes). Iron Ore mining in the state hugely contributes to the regional income and employment in the state. Goa also has an intrinsic logistic environment for export of minerals due to the availability of ports near the mining site.