National Aluminium Co. (Nalco) is
planning to set up its second integrated aluminium complex in Orissa at an
investment of Rs.15,000 crore.
The complex will comprise a 1.5
million tpa alumina refinery, a 2.5-3 lakh
tpa aluminium smelter and a captive power plant. The project is awaiting for government approval
before it can prepare the detailed feasibility
report.
Nalco has moved the
Orissa government for allotment of bauxite deposit in the Gandhamardan hills in
Sambalpur district. These mines are estimated to have 220 million tpa bauxite
reserve.
Apart from Gandhamardan project, Nalco
has also lined up other investment proposals, both in India and abroad. It is
planning to set up an integrated alumina refinery and an aluminium smelter in
Andhra Pradesh. But the project is in a nascent stage because of the Andhra
Pradesh government policy which stipulated that no mining lease can be granted
to any company and the user instead has to buy minerals from the state-owned
Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), the sole developers of
mines in the state.
Nalco is also planning to set up a
smelter in joint venture abroad. It has identified three Gulf states, Oman, Abu
Dhabi and Qatar, for the purpose and has conducted feasibility studies through
Engineers India (EIL). The company is also exploring the possibilities of
setting up a coal-based power plant and a smelting facility in Indonesia.
Also See:
Nalco
to submit proposal for overseas project (06-Apr-06)