Govt takes steps to develop Dinajpur iron ore mine

The government has taken steps to develop the iron ore mine discovered for the first time at Hakimpur upazila in Dinajpur district.

As part of the process, German company-DMT Consulting Limited-will soon start preliminary study for the development of the Iron Ore Deposit.

Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited (BCMCL), a concern of Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DMT Consulting Limited today, said a press release.

BCMCL Secretary Umme Tajmeri Selina Akhter and DMT Consulting Limited Managing Director Dr Vassilis Roubos signed the MoU at a function at Petrobangla boardroom in the city.

Petrobangla Chairman Nazmul Ahsan presided over the function while BCMCL Managing Director Md Shaiful Islam Sarkar and other senior officials concerned were present.

Under the MoU, a feasibility study will be conducted on a 6 square kilometer area. Based on this study report, a detailed feasibility study will be conducted later for mining if the iron ore reserves are found sufficient and economically viable.

Earlier, the Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB) discovered the iron-rich rock mine at Alihat area of Hakimpur upazila in Dinajpur, assuming that the mine covering 5 square kilometer area is primarily a home to reserves of 625 million tons of iron ore.

The depth of the iron ore-rich rocks found in the mine is 426 to 548 meters while percentage of iron ore in the rock layer is 50 percent. The average thick of these rock layers is 68 meter.