SAIL's iron ore mine at Gua in Jharkhand is likely to reopen shortly after nine months of closure, as a major technical hurdle had been overcome. Last year on June 15 extraction at Gua was halted in absence of environment and forest clearance.
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had made Gua's clearance conditional on Jharkhand placing a detailed report on Saranda forest division where Gua mines are located. Jharkhand authorities will now forward the report along with its recommendation to the Environment Ministry for final permission for restarting operation at Gua.
Gua mines, among the oldest mechanized facilities of SAIL, produces 2.4 million tonnes a year, which is being now expanded to 10 mt. The mines employ around 550 regular workers and about 500 contract laborers.
