The chief minister of Kerala Mr Oommen Chandy has called on the union minister of steel Mr Beni Prasad Verma and discussed NMDC plans for the state.

Government of Kerala had earlier proposed to NMDC to have JV project with Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Limited or Kerala Minerals & Metals Limited for mining of Ilmenite and other associated rare earth minerals and setting up a mineral beneficiation plant, in which KEMDEL KMML may have minority partnership with equity up to 26% and the rest of the equity with JV partner.

The final product of the mineral beneficiation plant was proposed to be used in 10,000 tonnes per annum titanium sponge plant and titanium alloy plant, which Kerala Government had proposed to set up in JV with SAIL.

Government of Kerala is now proposing to expand the mineral beneficiation and extraction activities by setting up on site beneficiation projects in Sri Lanka and Vietnam, as these countries have enough mineral resources and have shown interest in setting up such facilities there.

Government of Kerala has proposed a JV between NMDC and government of Kerala for setting up such projects, which would help in expanding plant capacities in Kerala to produce 10000 tonnes per annum to 20000 tonnes per annum titanium sponge.

Considering high value realization of the final product, NMDC proposes to participate in value addition project of Titanium Sponge rather than restricting its activities up to mineral beneficiation only.