E-Paper
Goa govt announces second round of auctions for iron ore mine blocks
Prospective bidders have until March 17 to purchase the tender document and March 27 to submit technical and financial bids for the blocks
The Goa government has put up five additional mining blocks for auction as part of the second round in the state. The five blocks, all in North Goa, are of mines that were previously operational before the ban first came into force in 2012, and later in 2018 after the mines were hastily ‘renewed’ by the state government in 2015.
Prospective bidders have until March 17 to purchase the tender document and March 27 to submit technical and financial bids for the blocks identified as Advalpal-Tivim, Cudnem Cormolem, Cudnem, Tivim Pirna and Surla-Sonshi.
Goa completed the bidding process for the first round in December last year, involving four blocks, of which three went to the same companies who were operating the leases prior to the shut-down. Vedanta, NS Bandekar and Fomento all retained their previously-held leases with the only change being in the Sirgao-Mayem block that went from Chowgule and Co. to Salgaocar Shipping.
The state has entered into an MoU with the Mineral Exploration Consultancy Ltd, a public sector enterprise, for geological reports on the auctions.
