India's National Mineral Development Corp. Ltd. secured government approval to boost the capacity of its Kumaraswamy iron ore mines, part of the Donimalai property in Karnataka state, to 10 million tonnes per annum from 7 mtpa for 2020/2021 and 2021/2022.

The capacity increase will help the country's projected iron ore supply shortage after March 2020, the company said Dec. 18.

The Indian Bureau of Mines's decision came after the company was recently granted a 20-year extension of its mining leases for the Bailadila iron ore projects in Chhattisgarh state.

Meanwhile, the state-run company said in a separate release that it entered into a memorandum of understanding to supply 5 mtpa of iron ore to a proposed integrated steel plant in the state of Andhra Pradesh.