62 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
to strengthen manufacturing activities with regard to traditional items as well as to diversity
into new lines of products.
- Bharat Aluminium Company Limited
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), the first unit in Public sector for
production of Aluminium, was incorporated in November, 1965, for setting up an integrated
Alumina/aluminium Complex at Korba in Bilaspur District of Madhya Pradesh based on
Bauxite Deposits in Amarkantak/Phutka-pahar Area. The plant has an installed capacity of
two lakh tonnes per annum and was commissioned in 1973. The smelter was commissioned
in phase, corresponding to availability of electric power from Madhya Pradesh Electricity
Board. The final phase was commissioned in September, 1984, which brought the installed
capacity of one lakh per annum.
A 270 mW captive thermal power station was commissioned in 1987-88 for facilitating
operations of Korba complex by reducing dependence on Madhya Pradesh Power Supply
Board. Amarkantak and Phutka-Pahar Bauxite Deposits are nearing the end of economic
working life. Till suitable alternative captive source for steady supply for bauxite are
established, arrangements are being made to obtain Bauxite from Panchpatmali Mine NALCO
and some private mine operators in Madhya Pradesh.
- National Aluminium Company Limited
The National Aluminum Company Limited (NALCO) is the biggest integrated bauxite/
alumina/aluminium project in Asia which is based on extensive Bauxite Deposits in Orissa
on East Coast of India. This company was incorporated in 7 January 1981, to exploit these
deposits. The projects includes 24 lakh tonnes per year Bauxite Mine at Penchapatmali
(Koraput), eight lakh tonnes per annual Alumina Plant at Damanjodi (Koraput), 2,18,000
tonnes per annual Aluminum Smeltre at Angul (Dhenkanal) and port facilities at
Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) for export of Alumina and import of caustic soda.
M/s. Aluminium Pechiney of France supplied technical know how and basic engineering
package. Engineers India Limited has done detailed engineering, construction, supervision,
procurement assistance and overall monitoring of the project. Trial production was started
in 1987-88 was the first years of commercial production when over 60 per cent of the rated
capacity was achieved and this increased to 87.66 per cent in 1989-90.
NALCO entered export market of Alumina in January 1988 and aluminium metal in
September 1988. Foreign exchange earnings through alumina and aluminium exports in
1989-90 were about Rs. 412 crores.
- Minerals Exploration Corporation Limited
Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) was registered in 1972 to undertake
detailed mineral exploration for assessing mineral reserves in the Country. Besides, the
corporation is engaged in mine construction, geographical work at dam sites and drilling
and construction of tubewells. The corporation, with its headquaters at Nagpur, carries out
detailed mineral exploration in behalf of the Government of the Public and Private Sector
enterprises and organizations, state governments, etc. on contractual basis. It plays the role
of a premier exploring agency in the country. Since its inception in 1972, the company has
explored places to the tune of tonnes of different mineral/ores comprising coal, bauxite, base
metals, gold, iron ore, limestone, etc.