UCIL gets open cast mine, plant in Jharkhand

Both the mine and plant were inaugurated by Anil Kakodkar, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy. R. Raja, DAE ‘s Additional Secretary, and UCIL’s CMD R Gupta were also present on the occasion. These are part of the UCIL’s Rs 1000-crore expansion plan to achieve an annual output of 600 tonnes of yellow cake by 2010.

A public sector undertaking set up in 1967, the UCIL currently produces 200 tonnes of yellow cake per annum from its four mines at Jadugoda, Narwapahar, Bhatin and Turamdih. Apart from Banduhurang where mining commenced today, the UCIL has started prospecting an underground mine at Mohuldih in the neighbouring Seraikela-Kharsawan district.

Mohuldih, its fifth underground mine, is expected to produce 1,50,000 tonnes of ore per annum. This project is scheduled to be completed within four years. With these new mines with an estimated reserve of 40 million tonnes, the company thinks the target is achievable. “Though we are under tremendous pressure, we hope to accomplish our task in time,” UCIL’s Director (Technical) D Acharya told The Indian Express.

Until now, the UCIL had only one plant at Jadugoda. But now, in view of the augmented output and location of the new mines, the second plant was commissioned at Turamdih, 4 km from Jamshedpur.

In setting up this new plant two companies—Development Consultant Project Ltd and Engineering Project India Ltd, which had bagged the global tender for construction of the plant—had rendered their services to the UCIL.