Mumbai: Jindal Steel has emerged as the preferred bidder for the Thakurani A1 iron ore block in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, sources aware of the development told ET.
The mine is expected to strengthen the company’s iron ore supply as it ramps up capacity at its plant in Angul.
The steelmaker won the block by committing a premium of 101.20% to the government. Bidding for the mine, conducted online on Tuesday, started at a premium of 101.05%.
The block has reserves of more than 50 million tonnes (mt) of iron ore, and Jindal Steel is likely to be allowed to mine 1.5-2 mt a year, the sources said. The company will have up to three years to develop the mine and start operations.
The Thakurani A1 mine was part of a recent auction round for 12 mineral blocks notified by the Odisha Directorate of Mines and Geology in December 2025.