Apr. 16, 2021 - Tata Steel mining arm, Tata Steel Mining (TSML), said it plans to double its ferro chrome manufacturing capacity in India with growing demand for stainless steel in the country. In a bid for aggressive growth, the company aims to raise ferro chrome capacity from 450,000 tonnes per annum to 900,000 tonnes per annum in the near future.

TSML said it had acquired three chromite mines in the 2020 mineral auctions -- Sukinda Chromite Mine, Saruabil Chromite Mine and Kamarda Chromite Mine. Officials said that the lease for these mines are for 50 years.

A statement said that the mines have now been operational with an annual capacity of over 1.5 million tonnes making the company the largest player in chrome ore mining in India. The idea behind the initiative is to use the chromite ore optimally to make ferro chrome to serve its growing base of Indian and global customers, who are in the business of manufacturing stainless steel.

"We will take the organic as well as the inorganic route to augment our ferro chrome manufacturing capacity in India, leveraging the strength of the good quality of chrome ore availability. This will make TSML the top Ferro Chrome player in India and among the top-five globally. It makes sense to focus on value addition and convert the chrome ore to ferro chrome," Tata Steel Mining chairperson DB Sundara Ramam said.