25-Apr-2022: CMPDIL to Continue as Subsidiary of Coal India Limited
Recently unconfirmed reports have appeared in a section of the Media that the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL) is being merged with Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL).
In this regard, the Ministry of Coal has clarified that CMPDIL is a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL) that provides exploration and consultancy services primarily to the coal sector. Keeping in view the scope for its business expansion in other minerals, the Government has plans for its strengthening, for which it is being considered to merge MECL into CMPDIL.
MECL has domain expertise in non-coal mineral exploration and consultancy. Therefore, such merger and creation of one integrated exploration and consultancy organization with requisite expertise for coal and non-coal sector would result in growth and value addition. At the same time, CMPDIL will continue to be a subsidiary of Coal India Limited.
19-Jul-2021: MECL signs MoU with DMG, Goa
Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) a premier notified mineral exploration agency under the aegis of Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Directorate of Mines & Geology (DMG), Government of Goa, offering integrated mineral exploration and consultancy services today at New Delhi.
With the signing of MoU, MECL will assess mineral resources by conducting an array of geo-scientific exploration and will finalise the mineral blocks to be auctioned and establish the state’s mineral inventory.
The recent amendments to the MMDR Amendment Act 2021, Mineral (Auction) Second Amendment Rules, 2021 and Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules will further pave the way for states to fast track the auction process of their mineral acreages, thus making role of DMG, Government of Goa pivotal in the process of assessment and allocation of their mineral acreages.
The signatory to the MoU were Dr. Ranjit Rath, CMD, MECL and Shri Vivek H. P, Director, DMG, Goa in the august presence of Shri Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Parimal Rai, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Goa, Shri Satendra Singh, Joint Secretary to Govt. of India, Ministry of Mines and other senior officials of Govt. of India and Govt. of Goa.
The State of Goa has been bestowed with large deposits of Iron Ore (1,456 Million Tonnes) as well as significant occurrence of other major minerals like Bauxite (55 Million Tonnes) and Manganese Ore (34 Million Tonnes). Iron Ore mining in the state hugely contributes to the regional income and employment in the state. Goa also has an intrinsic logistic environment for export of minerals due to availability of ports near the mining site.
22-Jan-2021: Tripartite agreement signed between MECL, RSMML and DMG for harnessing Potash in Rajasthan
A tripartite agreement was signed between Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL), Rajasthan State Mines & Minerals Limited (RSMML) and the Department of Mines & Geology (DMG), Govt. of Rajasthan for taking up feasibility studies of Solution Mining of Potash in the state of Rajasthan.
The MoU was signed virtually in the presence of Union Minister for Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs Shri Prahlad Joshi, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Chief Minister of Rajasthan Shri Ashok Gehlot.
Shri Prahlad Joshi said “MoU will pave the way to undertake feasibility studies for harnessing sub-surface salt deposits through solution mining, utilise Rajasthan’s rich mineral reserves, boost its economy and establish it as a hub of solution mining of potash, the 1st in the country”.
Rajasthan has huge Potash and Halite resources spread across 50,000 sq. kms in the Nagaur – Ganganagar basin in the northwest. GSI and MECL have established 2476.58 million tonnes and 21199.38 million tonnes of Potash & Halite respectively. Bedded Salt formations are strategically useful for underground oil storage, repositories for hydrogen, ammonia and helium gas, storage of compresses gas and nuclear waste. Potash & Sodium Chloride from the Bedded Salt are extensively used in the Fertiliser Industry and the Chemical Industry respectively.
MECL has been assigned as the program manager for taking up the feasibility study in the state with the help of an international consultant. Paving the way for the 1st Solution Mining project in the country, this project will generate employment as well as support the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan by way of generating import substitution by boosting the domestic mineral production of Potash and associated minerals.