Vedanta wins bids to explore and mine two Indian copper blocks

Oil-to-metals conglomerate Vedanta Ltd said on Tuesday it had been declared the preferred bidder for two copper blocks in the India's western state of Maharashtra.

The blocks require extensive exploration, Vedanta said, adding that this would start in due course.

The copper blocks have total area of 1584.9 hectares, and are located in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district, the company said.

The news comes a day after Zambia said it planned to strip Vedanta-controlled Konkola Copper Mines of its mining licence for breaching deal terms.

Vedanta, which operates India's second largest copper smelter, is in the middle of a lengthy legal battle to reopen its south Indian refinery which was shut following deadly protests last year.