It has decided against an expression of interest as invited by the state-owned Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation.
GMDC had invited EoIs for a 1Mt/y alumina refinery and a 500kt/y aluminium smelter project in the Kutch region. The bauxite requirement of the project is supposed to be fulfilled by GMDC through its own mines. The last day for an EoI was November 11.
Mr Mukesh Kumar COO of Vedanta Aluminium said “We want to concentrate our energies in Orissa and, therefore, have decided not to go to Gujarat for setting up of the plant."
He said bauxite deposits in Kutch were ‘very limited’ and would not be able to support a plant larger than 1Mt/y of alumina refinery capacity. This limits the scope for further expansions.
Mr Kumar said the same project was offered to Ashapura Minechem a few years ago. In October, the state government persuaded Vedanta to set up the alumina project and offered partnership with GMDC. The state also asked GMDC to scrap its project with Ashapura Minechem in favor of Vedanta.
Mr Kumar said Vedanta, however, sees no possibility of a plant in Gujarat. He said that “We have tied up with GMDC for bauxite supply of 500kt and that is about it.”
