The Sandur Manganese & Iron Ores (SMIORE) has been conferred with the prestigious Seven Star Rating Award by the Ministry of Mines and the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) for its performance in the 2023–24 assessment year. The award recognises excellence in sustainable and green mining practices.

The felicitation took place on 7 July 2025 at the Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur, during a national event honouring India's Five Star and Seven Star Rated Mines. The Seven Star Award was presented by Bhajanlal Sharma, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, in the presence of G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines.

SMIORE is the only mining company from South India to receive the Seven Star Rating and is among just three mines nationwide to achieve this recognition. In addition, the company’s Kammathuru Iron Ore Mine, located in Sandur Taluk, Ballari District and spanning 1,860.10 hectares, was awarded the Five Star Rating for 2023–24.

Instituted by the Indian Bureau of Mines, the Star Rating Awards aim to encourage sustainable mining and honour operations that demonstrate best practices across safety, environmental management, technological innovation, and community development.

Bahirji A Ghorpade, Managing Director of SMIORE, expressed pride in the recognition, highlighting the company’s consistent focus on sustainability and operational excellence. He noted that SMIORE has achieved the Five Star Rating every year since its inception, with the current Seven Star recognition marking a new milestone in the company’s journey towards responsible mining.