Vedanta Aluminium’s Jamkhani Mine awarded 4-star rating for sustainable, responsible operations

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, JUNE 2, 2025

Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, has been awarded a prestigious 4-Star rating by the Ministry of Coal for its Jamkhani coal mine in Sundargarh, Odisha, for the financial year 2023–24. Scoring an impressive 83 out of 100 in the Ministry’s star rating assessment, the mine has emerged as one of the top-performing coal operations in the country — a remarkable achievement within just two years of its commissioning.

The Jamkhani mine plays a strategic role in Vedanta Aluminium’s pursuit of 100% vertical integration, aimed at reducing India’s dependence on imported coal and contributing to the broader vision of a self-reliant and Viksit Bharat.

Launched in FY 2019, the Ministry of Coal’s Star Rating Assessment Scheme encourages sustainable and responsible mining. Mines are evaluated on parameters such as scientific mining methods, environmental conservation, statutory compliance, land and resettlement management, economic performance, technological adoption, employee welfare, and workplace safety.

Rajiv Kumar, CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, said, “This recognition is a testament to the dedication and coordinated efforts of our team at Jamkhani. It reflects Vedanta’s broader vision of achieving operational excellence through sustainability, safety, and digital innovation. We remain committed to setting new benchmarks in responsible mining and environmental stewardship.”

Since its operational launch in November 2022, the Jamkhani mine has embraced world-class mining practices with a strong emphasis on sustainability, digital transformation, and efficiency. Key initiatives include:

Advanced Environmental Management: Implementation of real-time air and water monitoring systems, rooftop rainwater harvesting (4,200 kilolitres capacity), and groundwater recharge infrastructure with a total capacity nearing 100,000 cubic metres. The site also includes settling ponds, sumps, and observation wells to reinforce water conservation.

Eco-Restoration and Afforestation: Adoption of the Miyawaki afforestation method, which involves planting dense clusters of native trees, sub-trees, and shrubs to create fast-growing, self-sustaining forests. The mine aims to plant 365,000 saplings across 18 hectares along its periphery by the end of FY2025. This initiative will create a rich greenbelt and biodiversity hotspot, serving as a model for regenerative environmental practices.

Digital-First Operations: Jamkhani has embraced cutting-edge technologies including drone-based blasting zone clearance, digital dashboards, operational analytics, and the Time-in-Use Model (TUM) to track real-time coal production, equipment usage, and dispatch quality. These innovations are enhancing operational efficiency while upholding the highest standards of safety and sustainability.

Jamkhani is not only Vedanta’s first greenfield coal project, but also the first privately developed greenfield coal mine in Odisha under the auction regime. Now fully operational, the mine plays a critical role in powering Vedanta’s aluminium smelter in Jharsuguda—the largest single-location aluminium smelting facility in the world.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, produced 2.42 million tonnes of aluminium in FY2025, accounting for over half of India’s total aluminium production. As a leader in high-quality, value-added aluminium products, the company’s offerings serve critical sectors worldwide. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd globally in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024 for the aluminium industry, underscoring its leadership in sustainable business practices.

With its state-of-the-art smelters, alumina refinery, and power plants, Vedanta Aluminium continues to champion aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ — a catalyst for green transformation and industrial innovation.