Panaji (Goa): After the monsoons, the iron ore extraction activity has been slowly picking up in the State with only ten out of total 89 mines beginning their operations, a senior government official said today.

The current mining season, which begun from November 1 after the rains receded, has been slow-paced due to poor prices for the low-grade ore in the International market coupled with several local issues.

“Only ten mines which have got consent to operate under Air and Water Pollution Control Act have been operating for this season. Till date, 0.839 Million tonnes of ore has been extracted by them,” a senior official from State Mines and Geology Department said.

He said that the activity is expected to pick pace in the days to come.

The mining industry comes to standstill during the months of when the monsoon arrives in the coastal state. “The mining activities including extraction, transportation and export had come to a temporary halt during the four-month-long monsoon session,” he said. 

“Though the business was supposed to commence in October, it was delayed due to various reasons like falling international market prices and agitation by the truck operators, involved in ferrying ore, over transportation charges,” he added.

Though the season has officially begun only the top mining firms like Vedanta Iron Ore and Fomento company have begun the activity across all the ten mining leases.

The data available from State Directorate of Mines and Geology revealed that for the current financial year 2017-18, total 5.52 million tonnes of ore is extracted. “Of this, 4.69 million tonnes was produced before the monsoon season when total 40 mining leases were operational,” he said.

The mining leases have to renew their consent to operate from Goa State Pollution Control Board annually after the monsoons.

For the last financial year, 2016-17, 46 mines had produced 20 million tons of ore. 

The state can export 20 million tonnes of ore annually which is a ceiling prescribed by Supreme Court of India.