Bhubaneswar, May 19 -- Marking a major transition into downstream mineral processing, the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) has announced plans to establish a 1.5 million tonne per annum (mtpa) pellet manufacturing plant near its Gandhamardan iron ore mines in Keonjhar district.

The gold-category state public-sector undertaking will invest an estimated Rs 800 crore into the project, signaling a deliberate strategy to move up the mineral value chain.

The move assumes significant commercial importance because of OMC's unique approach to raw material utilisation. Unlike private mining and steel companies that typically rely on high-grade ore or beneficiated concentrates for pellet production, the state-run corporation intends to manufacture ...