APMDC closer to mine bauxite in Vizag agency area
Hyderabad, Nov 6: With Union Ministry of Environment and Forests giving stage II clearances to Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), the state mining agency is getting closer to mining bauxite in the Visakhapatnam agency area. MoEF is said to have given the stage II clearances on August 17 itself. However, the news came to light only after the AP government issued a GO (No MS 97) directing the forest department to divert 1,212 hectares of land in Chintapalli and Jerrila reserve forest to APMDC for mining bauxite. The Visakhapatnam agency area has bauxite ore reserves of 484 milion tonnes, Sapparla and Araku have 240 million tonnes, while Jerella has 244 million tonnes. Meanwhile, sources said that the Vizag-based Anrak Aluminium Limited has entered into an MoU with APMDC to set up an alumina plant and aluminium smelter in Visakhapatnam.
