JSW Steel plans pipeline to transport iron ore

JSW Steel, which operates a 12 million tonne per annum (MTPA) steel plant at Vijayanagar in Ballari district, has proposed to set up a Slurry Pipeline to transport iron ore from coastal Karnataka to its plant, a top company official said.

The 200-km long proposed pipeline between Karwar port and Vijayanagar is estimated to cost Rs 2,100 crore and will be completed in 24 months, its Chairman Sajjan Jindal said on Thursday. The board of directors has approved the project, while the company is yet to get necessary clearances from the Karnataka government.

The move is aimed at securing steady supply of iron ore, the key raw material in making steel, to its steel plant and reduce dependency on NMDC and other private miners.

Currently, the company is facing shortage of good quality iron ore within the state of Karnataka following the Supreme Court’s directions to cap production of iron ore at 30 million tonnes per annum. The project will facilitate transportation of iron ore at a competitive 15% cost of alternate means of transport. The project will enable the company to source  50% of its current requirement at Vijayanagar works from outside Karnataka.