Lloyds Metals and Energy (LMEL) has received environmental clearance (EC) from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (IA Division), Government of India, on 25 June, 2025, to expand its mining capacity to 55 million tonne per annum (MTPA). This milestone positions LMEL’s mine as the largest iron ore operation in India, enhancing raw material security for the nation’s steel sector.

The expanded capacity is expected to play a strategic role in supporting the emerging steel industry in Gadchiroli, where steel production is on the rise. LMEL's mine is set to be a critical enabler for downstream steel industries in the region. LMEL’s mining roadmap includes an initial extraction of up to 26 MTPA of hematite (Direct Sales Ore), followed by a scale-up to 55 MTPA including up to 45 MT of banded hematite quartzite (BHQ). 

With the rollout of beneficiation plants, hematite DSO will be replaced by beneficiated ore. The mine incorporates sustainable practices through battery-operated HEMMS, electric machinery, LNG vehicles, and renewable energy. A pilot five  TPH beneficiation plant in Hedri has shown promising results—over 66 percent Fe content and more than 35 pecent yield—paving the way for full-scale engineering of a major beneficiation complex.