For all our mechanized mining operations we employ the “open pit” method. Benches, about five to seven meters high, and width 8 to 15 meters are designed across and along the strike of the ore body for better quality control. Ripper dozers have been introduced to minimise the adverse impact of drilling and blasting. The material is excavated and moved using a hydraulic excavator with rigid dumpers and articulated dumpers. After the waste capping/overburden is removed, the powdery ore is exposed. The loose run-of-the-mine ore is loaded into a fleet of trucks for transport by road to the centralised processing and beneficiation plants outside the mining lease for sizing and quality upgrading. The overburden is utilised to concurrently backfill and reclaim the demineralised mine pit. Very minimal quantity is dumped as surface dumps. Dumps are graded, terraced and stabilised with organic geo-textile and indigenous plant species.

As the part of progressive mine closure plan, the demineralized block is being backfilled. The lower most stage on the inactive side has been stabilized by pitching and plantation. The higher levels along the common boundary with neighbouring mine towards inactive stages are stabilized by Coco erosion Control Blanket and plantation. Different ex-situ conservation plots are being developed on the reclaimed stages.

An artificial aquifer system has been created by the construction of a well in association with the Department of Earth Sciences, Goa University to recharge the groundwater, thereby permitting continued pumping to the agricultural fields in the vicinity.

CENTRALISED ORE PROCESSING FACILITY AT VAGUS COMPLEX:

The Run of Mines Iron ore produced from different mines located in North and South Goa is transported to and stacked at the Vagus Complex which consists of centralised ore processing plants and barge loading jetties.