Displaying items by tag: Blasting

India: Dalmia Cement (Bharat) plans to expand its cement plant in Mylavaram, Andhra Pradesh. The producer will invest US$321m to to more than double the plant’s clinker capacity from 4.6Mt/yr to 12.6Mt/yr, its cement grinding capacity from 2.6Mt/yr to 7.6Mt/yr and its waste heat recovery capacity from 12MW to 28MW.

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board will hold a public hearing on 27 March 2025 over the plans, the New Indian Express newspaper has reported. Local residents have raised allegedly ‘unaddressed’ issues, including disruptions to watercourses, increased dust pollution and possible structural damage from increased blasting.

Kenya: Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho has ordered the closure of the Simba Cement plant in Kilifi County due to pollution concerns. Residents have reported issues from stone blasting and dust, with one resident reporting that early morning blasting has caused ‘cracks’ in their house and exposed families to respiratory diseases, according to the Kenyan Post newspaper. It was also reported that the company has allegedly displaced residents to expand its mining operations.

Zimbabwe: Sino-Zimbabwe Cement reported a burglary at its Gweru cement plant on the night of 12 – 13 August 2023. The Chronicle newspaper has reported that eight robbers attacked security guards with sticks, before stealing blasting equipment from the plant’s quarry. The gang was reportedly also armed with machetes. Police investigations continue.

India: Protestors have halted mining operations at JSW Cement’s Khatkurbahal mine in Odisha, which serves the company’s Sundargarh cement plant. The New Indian Express newspaper has reported that the protestors accuse the company of mining and dumping overburden on neighbouring agricultural land, damaging properties with debris from blasts, drying up six wells and creating excessive dust pollution. The protestors also complained that the mine has failed to create new jobs for local people.