India has produced 210 million mt of iron ore in fiscal year (FY) 2017-18 according to an official of the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI). India last produced such strong numbers in 2010-11 at the height of a mineral boom.
The state of Odisha, which accounts for about 50 percent of national output, produced 105 million mt of iron ore in FY 2017-18 against 102 million mt the previous fiscal year. Miners in Odisha have environment clearance for an annual output of 142 million mt.
In the state of Odisha, the major iron ore miners produced about 62 percent of the total regional production. Rungta Mines produced 25.25 million mt, Tata Steel 12.61 million mt, Serajudin Mines 9.03 million mt, SAIL 7.23 million mt, OMC 5.81 million mt, and KSJ Ahluwalia 5.4 million mt.
Restrictions on mines with capacity over 30 million mt of closed iron ore have been withdrawn in the past few months in Odisha, which earned more than Rs 60 billion ($872 million) as mining revenue, its highest ever.
State-owned National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) had a flat growth rate of iron output throughout the country at 35 million mt in the last fiscal year according to press reports.
State breakdowns for the fiscal year are still under development. For the calendar year 2017, India produced 202 million mt of iron ore. Beyond Odisha which accounted for over 100 million mt, Chhatisgarh produced 32.8 million mt, Karnataka 29.1 million mt, Jharkhand 21.6 million mt, Goa 8.6 million mt, and others about 5 million mt.