The Sandur Manganese & Iron Ores (SMIORE) has been awarded the prestigious Seven Star Rating by the Ministry of Mines and the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) for exemplary green mining practices in 2023–24. The award was presented at the national felicitation ceremony held at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur on July 7, 2025. 

SMIORE is the first among three mines nationwide—and the only one from South India—to receive the Seven Star Rating this year. The company has also secured the Five Star Rating for its Kammathuru Iron Ore Mine in Ballari district, Karnataka, marking its tenth consecutive year of recognition under the IBM’s Star Rating scheme. 

Instituted by the IBM, the Star Rating system honours mines that demonstrate excellence in environmental management, scientific mining, and sustainability performance. The award was presented by Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Bhajanlal Sharma in the presence of Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy.

Bahirji A. Ghorpade, Managing Director, SMIORE, said, “This recognition reaffirms our decade-long commitment to sustainable development and green mining. Our team’s unwavering dedication has now earned us the country’s highest mining honour.” 

The Kammathuru mine spans over 1,860 hectares and continues to set benchmarks in responsible mining, combining technological innovation, safety, and community welfare.