All mining leases cancelled in Goa, can't operate after March 15, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has quashed all iron ore mining permits in Goa state, one of the country's top producing areas for the steel raw material, reports said on Wednesday.

Mining in the state, known for its low-quality iron ore, will stop after March 15 and new licences will need to be given, the court said. Activists have been campaigning for a ban on iron ore mining in the state on environmental grounds.

Court action against illegal mining shut the industry in Goa for more than two years from 2012. Goa had exported about 50 million tonnes of iron ore a year before the ban was imposed.

The latest ban is a blow for companies such as Vedanta Resources that have mines in the state.

Most of Goa's iron ore is exported to China as Indian steel companies do not have the technology to use them.