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Goa Operation

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusTemporary Suspension
Commodities
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotGoa iron ore operations consist of four major iron ore mines, namely Codli, Sonshi, Bicholim and Surla.

At Goa, mining was brought to a halt pursuant to the Supreme Court judgement dated 7 February 2018 directing all companies in Goa to stop mining operations with effect from 16 March 2018.

Bicholim Mines operationalization in H2FY24.
Related AssetsBicholim Mine, Codli Mine, Sonshi Mine, Surla Mine

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Vedanta Resources plc. 68.1 % Indirect
Vedanta Resources Limited is the parent company of the Vedanta Group. Through its subsidiaries, it holds its principal operating businesses such as Vedanta Limited and KCM.

Iron ore Division of Vedanta Limited, comprising of Iron ore mines in Goa and Karnataka in India.

Deposit type

  • Laterite

Summary:

At the Codli mines, the lower grade iron formation is folded and subsequently eroded into basinal areas amenable to open-pit mining. Economically mineable material occurs over an area of about 3.1 km by 1.6 km and is located between 84 metres above sea level and 50 metres below sea level. The formations show a general northwest-southeast trend with shallow to moderate dips towards the northeast with local reversals. The footwall is comprised manganiferous clay and decomposed quartzites and the stratigraphy of the ore body is cross cut by late dolerite dykes and sills which are manifested by pink clayey zones in the mine area.

The area surrounding the Sonshi mine is covered with laterite capping underlain by lumpy ore zone. The ore deposit at the Sonshi mine forms the northern limb of the northwest-southeast trending syncline. The formations dip 50 degrees to 60 degrees northeast. The principal deposit of the Sonshi mine comprises three distinct ore bodies that are folded into a syncline. The youngest ore body has a width of 50 metres, while the other ore bodies dip steeply to the northeast and have widths of approximately 20 metres to 25 metres. The intervening parting between the ore bodies comprised 50 metres of manganiferous clay and a 30 metre wide limonitic zone separating one ore body from the footwall phyllite. The depth extent of these bands has been outlined with deep drilling. Hematite is the major economic mineral in each of the bands.

Bicholim-Sirigao deposit is the best deposit of Goa state. It is situated between Bicholim in the south-east and Sirigao in the north-west. The deposit occurs oa a N 50-60o W trending anticlinal fold, overturned to the south-west and its nose portion refolded in shape of 'S' with a plunge of about 22-27o towards N 60o W. The southern limb of the fold extends for a length of about 4km from Bicholim-Piligao road in the south-east to about 500m north-east of Sirigao hill while the northern limb extends for a length of about 2km from Bordem in the south-east to about 500m north-east of Sirigao hill. Between the two limbs of the anticlinal fold, which are ore-bearing, there is a barren phyllitic tract which represents the axial portion of the fold.

The deposit consists of two orebodies, a larger south-western one and a smaller north-eastern. The total length of the south-western body between Bicholim-Piligao to Sirigao hill is about 6.25km and the windth varies from 70m to 550m. The north-eastern orebody is about 1.25km in length and the windth varies from 115m to 140m. Both these orebodies are thoroughly explored by drilling and proved up hte bottom.

As regards the quality of ore, the best grade of ore in south-eastern orebody is present in the section between Lamgao and Sirigao hill. Here, the Fe content lumpy ore ranges from 60 to 63 percent and in powdery ore from 64 to 66 percent. In Seltom Mosque hill area, the lumpy ore contains 57 to 59 percent Fe and the powdery ore from 61 to 63 percent Fe. In sectin between Bicholim-Maem road and Lamgaon the lumpy ore contains 57 to 61 percent and the powdery ore from 63 to 65 percent Fe. Along the northern and north-western slope of Sirigao, the lumpy ore contains 57 to 59 percent and the powdery ore from 61 to 62 percent Fe.

In the north-western orebody, the lumpy ore is platy to massive and contains 59 to 61 percent Fe and the powdery ore which is deep blue in colour, contains 62 to 65 percent Fe.

Cudnem-Dignem-Surla deposit: The deposit extends from a point 2.25 km south-west of Onda and west of the Onda Usgno road in the north-west of Surla hill, located about 1 km east of Dergunvado in the south-east. The deposit has a length of about 3.5 km and a width ranging from 100 m in the south-eastern portion to about 60 m in central portion and about 220 m in the north-western portion. At one place in south-east, the deposit pinches out completely for a short distance. The grade of the ore is seen to distinctly deteriorate towards south-east.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits2019201820172016
All production numbers are expressed as ore.

Operational metrics

Metrics2019
Annual mining capacity 5.5 Mt

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

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Aerial view:

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