[Ferro-alloys.com] India's Supreme Court has lifted a ban on iron ore mining in the western state of Goa, but limited extraction to 20m tonnes a year.

The miners will also need to renew their leases with the Goa government.All 90 iron ore mines in Goa were shut down after a government-backed inquiry in 2012 alleged they were illegal and lacked environmental permission to operate.

It had claimed the state lost nearly $6bn (£3.75bn) due to illegal mining.The ban in Goa followed a similar move in the southern state of Karnataka in 2011.

• [Editor:Yueleilei]