NMDC Ltd has commissioned its 2 million tonne per annum (MTPA) pellet plant at Nagarnar in Chhattisgarh as part of a ₹5,427-crore integrated iron ore processing, slurry transportation and pellet-making project connecting its Bacheli mining operations with the company’s steel plant at Nagarnar.
The integrated project comprises a new iron ore processing plant at Bacheli, a 15 MTPA slurry pipeline and a 2 MTPA pellet plant at Nagarnar. The 135-km slurry pipeline will transport processed iron ore concentrate from Bacheli to Nagarnar, providing an alternative to road transportation and strengthening the dedicated movement of ore between the two locations.
The facilities will enable NMDC to process iron ore fines and slimes generated from its Bailadila mines into concentrate and subsequently convert the concentrate into pellets for steelmaking. The pellet plant uses Straight Grate Induration technology for pellet production.
The commissioning expands NMDC’s capabilities across the iron ore value chain, covering mining, beneficiation, slurry transportation and pellet production. It also enables greater utilisation of iron ore fines and slimes, while adding pellets as a value-added product to the company’s portfolio.
The 135-km slurry pipeline passes through 61 villages in Bastar and Dantewada districts. According to the company, the pipeline is designed to reduce the movement of processed ore by road, provide an alternative evacuation route and reduce dependence on railway transportation.
The project forms part of NMDC’s broader expansion and diversification strategy. The company has outlined a long-term objective of increasing its iron ore production capacity to 100 million tonnes annually, with investments in processing, transportation and value addition forming part of its growth plans.