In the interest of mineral conservation, Tata Steel has raised its chrome concentrate capacity from its 1990 nameplate capacity of 1.08 lakh tonne per annum (LTPA) to 4 LTPA. Tata Steel has plans to further increase its capacity up to 7 LTPA with an additional investment of Rs 37 crore. 

This has been achieved through a number of measures such as three-shift operation as against nameplate capacity based on single-shift platform. The company has enhanced plant availability due to introduction of modern maintenance practices and capital investment by way of installation of additional beneficiation circuits like hydro-cyclone and spirals, feed circuit modernisation and addition of other balancing equipment. 

In view of inadequate capacity in the country to process the real generation of low-grade chromite, which arises in the course of mining and goes into stock - pile. Chrome concentrate is used in ferro chrome/ stainless steel production and is a value-added product made through beneficiation of low-grade chrome ore (25-40 per cent Cr2O3) that is not directly saleable.

The National Mineral Policy of 1983, Clause 7.1.4 defines conservation of minerals as follows, “Conservation of minerals shall be construed not in the restrictive sense of abstinence form consumption or preservation for future use, but as a positive concept leading to augmentation of resource base through improvement in mining methods, beneficiation and utilisation of low-grade ore and rejects, recovery of associated minerals, reduction in the requirements of minerals per unit of material output etc.”