GEOLOGICAL PROJECT OF BADAMPAHAR IRON ORE MINES.

Badampahar Iron Ore Mines is a prominent mining site located in the mayurbhanj district of Odisha, India. The mines are known for their vast reserves of high-grade iron ore, which have played a crucial role in the country's steel industry.

The terrain surrounding the Badampahar Iron Ore Mines is hilly and covered with dense forests, adding to the scenic beauty of the region. The mines are situated in close proximity to the Badampahar Reserve Forest, providing a rich biodiversity in the area.

The mining operations at Badampahar Iron Ore Mines involve extracting iron ore from open-pit mines, which are large excavations created by removing overlying soil and rock. The extracted ore undergoes various processes, including crushing, screening, and beneficiation, to obtain the desired iron ore concentrate.

The iron ore reserves at Badampahar are renowned for their high iron content, low impurities, and good physical properties. The ore is characterized by its rich reddish-brown color, and the presence of hematite, magnetite, and other iron-bearing minerals.

The mining activities at Badampahar Iron Ore Mines have contributed significantly to the economic growth of the region and have provided employment opportunities to the local population. However, like any mining operation, there are also environmental concerns associated with the extraction process. Steps are taken to mitigate the impact on the ecosystem and restore the mined-out areas.

Overall, Badampahar Iron Ore Mines stands as a key contributor to the iron ore production in India, supplying high-quality iron ore to steel manufacturers. Its natural beauty, combined with the mineral wealth it holds, makes it an important site in the mining landscape of Odisha.

1. GEOLOGICAL STUDY OF BADAMPAHAR IRON ORE MINES MAYURBHANJ,ODISHA

2. LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY :- Badampahar is village located in kusumi block Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. The place is located at a distance of 86 km towards North East from D.D. Auto college, Keonjhar. It is located in the UTC +5.5 time zone and it follows Indian standard time (IST). The location Reduce Level (RL) – 829m The location falls under Toposheet no – 73J/4 (scale = 1:50,000) Longitude – 86°06’33.81” to 86°08’24.81” Latitude - 22°03’52.87” to 22°05’9.53”

3. LOCAL CLIMATE & VEGETATION :- CLIMATE - 10 -12°c in winter Normal climate condition 40- 45°c in summer Annual rainfall – 1250mm Sub-tropical monsoon type VEGETATION- Terminal alata (Carambola Tree) Magnifera indica (mango Tree ) Madhuca indica ( Mohulo Tree) Diospyrus melanxylon (Kendu Tree) Azadirachta indica ( Neem Tree )

4. GEOLOGY OF THE AREA :- LITHOLOGY: Laterite - present above BHQ and covers the peak Banded Hematite Quartzite (BHQ) - upper BHQ and lower BHQ separate by Quartzite layer

5. Quartzite – Predominant in top of Badampahar hill Iron Ore – Iron ore found here is of secondary origin and originated from BHQ by process of leaching out of silica.

6. GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE : All structural imprints have been obliterated due to extensive weathering and structural disturbance. Foliation -

7. Fold – Megascopic anticlinal fold seen at the side of bench. Strike/Trends of the ore body – NNE-SSW Amount of dip of ore body - 35° to 45° Dip direction of ore body - WNW

8. Mud Cracks – polygonal shapes mud cracks are formed on muddy sediment.

9. Check dam – Man made structure at hill slope of area. Used to reduce the flow of sediment .

10. LOCAL STRATIGRAPHY :

11. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY:- GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT MINES : Badampahar mines was first reported by P.N Bose in the year 1904. Now the mines leased by GM IRON & STEEL COMPANY LIMITED in the year 20 It is proposed to produce ~ 1.5 million TPA DGPS leased area – 128.427 ha Forest Area – 125.71ha Non- Forest area – 2.717ha

12. ECONOMIC MINERALS :- Lateritic ore - Formed during recent and sub recent period. Alteration product of both iron and ferruginous shale. Limonitic ore – Hydrated iron oxide. Reddish yellow to yellow in colour. highly porous and soft.

13. Biscuit ore - Porous in nature. laminated ore. Leached out of silica from BHQ . Powdery ore – generally dark blue, grey and black in colour. occur as small pockets . Massive Ore- Dark brown to steel grey in colour. High specific gravity. Break into big blocks.

14. MINING METHODS :- Open cast semi mechanical methods used. Various mining operation – Drilling Blasting Excavation loading sizing and transportation Height & Width of bench – 6m and 15m Bench slope - 85° and Nearly vertical Slope angle with Horizontal - 22°

15. SCREENING :- CONE CROSSER - Breaks the rocks by squeezing between the Gyrating spindle. SCREEN – Transfer the crush ore to processing unit. FEEDER – Used to feed material to a process.