India not using domestic bauxite reserves adequately experts say

Tom Albanese from Vedanta Resources gave his key-note address at IBAAS, the International Bauxite, Alumina and Aluminium Society, speaking about how India is lagging behind in the exploitation of bauxite reserves available in the country.

There is plenty of good quality bauxite ore in the Andhra Pradesh and Orissa regions that are not being properly utilized due to some negative propaganda and misplaced concerns about ecological issues. Technologies in India have evolved that allow sustainable exploitation of the reserves so that the industry can develop in an eco-friendly way. However, the fixed, inaccurate notions continue to disrupt bauxite mining in the country, say Tom.

These restrictions in the raw material are deterring investors from investing in the aluminium industry thereby stunting its growth.

Aluminium is a green metal that can be recycled endlessly and bauxite mining leaves no long term degradation if proper precautions are adopted. H. Mahadevan, the president of Anrak says that there are ten sanctioned projects in the Eastern Ghats out of which only one is fully operational, two are partially and rest are lost in the dark.

It is the responsibility of the industry to dispel these false notions and co-operate with the local communities to ensure that we get a long-term and sustainable bauxite mining, he says.