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Vedanta Resources Limited
FormerlyAngelchange Limited
Company typePrivate limited company
ISININE205A01025
IndustryMining
Founded22 April 2003 (21 years ago) (2003-04-22) as Angelchange Limited [1]
FounderAnil Agarwal
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Anil Agarwal
    (Executive Chairman)
  • Navin Agarwal
    (Executive Vice Chairman)
  • Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan
    (CEO)
ProductsCopper, Aluminum, Zinc, Lead, Gold, Iron ore, Pig iron, Metallurgical Coke and Oil and gas exploration, Power
RevenueDecreaseUS$17.128 billion (2024)[2]
IncreaseUS$3.347 billion (2024)[2]
DecreaseUS$99 million (2024)[2]
Total assetsDecrease US$22.330 billion (2024)[2]
Total equityDecrease US$−848 million (2024)[2]
OwnerAnil Agarwal
Subsidiaries
[3]
Websitewww.vedantaresources.com

Vedanta Resources Limited is a diversified mining company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest mining and non-ferrous metals company in India and has mining operations in Australia and Zambia[4] and oil and gas operations in three countries. Its main products are Zinc, Lead, Silver, Oil & Gas, Iron Ore, Steel, Aluminium and Power.[4][5] It has also developed commercial power stations in India in Odisha (2,400 MW) and Punjab (1,980 MW).[6]

The company with 20,000 employees is primarily owned by the family of Anil Agarwal through Volcan Investments, a holding vehicle with a 61.7% stake in the business.[7] Vedanta limited (formerly Sesa Goa / Sterlite) is one of the many Indian subsidiaries of Vedanta resources and operates iron ore mines in Goa.[8]

Vedanta was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index until chairman, Anil Agarwal's offer to take the company private went unconditional in September 2018.

History

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The company was founded in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1976 by Anil Agarwal, as a scrap-metal dealership.[9] In 1979, he acquired the Shamsher Sterling Corporation (subsequently renamed Sterlite Industries), a manufacturer of power and control cables.[10]

The company acquired a majority stake in Balco, the Indian state aluminium business, in 2001.[11] It was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2003 when, as Vedanta Resources, it raised US$876 million through an initial public offering.[12]

In 2006, Vedanta acquired Sterlite Gold, a gold mining business,[13] and in 2007, Vedanta Resources bought a 51% stake in Sesa Goa, India's largest producer-exporter of iron ore, and the company became listed on NYSE with a US$2 billion ADS issue.[14][15]

In 2008, Vedanta bought certain of the assets of Asarco, a copper mining business, out of Chapter 11 for US$2.6 billion.[16] and in 2010, it acquired Anglo-American's portfolio of Zinc assets in South Africa, Namibia and Ireland.[17]

In 2011, Vedanta acquired 58.5% controlling stake in Cairn India, India's largest private sector oil & gas company[18][19] and in 2013, Sterlite Industries and Sesa Goa announced a merger. The merger took place in August 2013 and the consolidated group was then called Sesa Sterlite Ltd (now Vedanta Limited).[20] In June 2018, Vedanta acquired 90% stake in Electrosteel Steels, a steel producer.[21]

In September 2018, the company announced that Anil Agarwal would be taking Vedanta Resources private on 1 October 2018.[22]

Operations

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Copper

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Sterlite Industries (India): Sterlite is registered office headquartered in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India. Sterlite has been a public listed company in India since 1988, and its equity shares are listed and traded on the NSE and the BSE, and are also listed and traded on the NYSE in the form of ADSs. Vedanta owns 53.9% of Sterlite and has management control of the company. Protest by Public of Tuticorin started for not following Environmental Clearance Issues. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) accused the factory of releasing noxious gas in the air. It said sulphur-dioxide levels had gone off the charts on the night of 23 March in the year 2013. It showed a reading of 2939.55 mg/cubic metre against the prescribed limit of 1250 mg/ cubic metre more people where affected by cancer and other breathing disorders but the Indian government did not take any action.[23]

Konkola Copper Mines: Vedanta owns 79.4% of KCM's share capital and have management control of the company. KCM's other shareholder is ZCCM Investment Holdings plc. The government of Zambia has a controlling stake in ZCCM Investment Holdings plc.[24]

Copper Mines of Tasmania: CMT is headquartered in Queenstown, Tasmania. Sterlite owns 100.0% of CMT and has management control of the company.[25]

Zinc

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Hindustan Zinc: HZL is headquartered in Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan. HZL's equity shares are listed and traded on the NSE and BSE. Sterlite owns 64.9% of the share capital in HZL and has management control. Sterlite has a call option to acquire the government of India's remaining ownership interest.[26]

Iron ore

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See also: Vedanta Limited

Vedanta's iron ore mining operations in India are operated under the umbrella of Vedanta Limited, a company headquartered in Panaji, India. It has mining operations in Goa and Karnataka.[27] Originally founded as Sesa Goa, a Portuguese company, Sesa Goa was purchased by Vedanta (then known as Sterlite industries) in the 1990s. As of 30 June 2018, the company is owned 50% by the promoters (under the names of 12 members of the Agarwal family) and 50% by the public. This includes ownership by and "Westglobe limited", "Twinstar holdings", Finsider international and mutual funds (ICICI Prudential), foreign portfolio investors (17%), LIC India (6%) and Citibank New York (4%).[28]

Sterlite Energy: Sterlite Energy is headquartered in Mumbai. Sterlite owns 100.0% of Sterlite Energy and has management control of the company.[29]

Philanthropy

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Maneka Sanjay Gandhi inaugurating the first ever modern Anganwadi Centre 'Nand Ghar' in PPP Model, at Sonipat, in Haryana on 24 June 2015. The Women & Child Development Minister of Haryana, Smt. Kavita Jain is also seen

In 1992, Anil Agarwal created the Vedanta Foundation as the vehicle through which the group companies would carry out their philanthropic programs and activities. In the financial year 2013–14, the Vedanta group companies and the Vedanta foundation invested US$49.0 million in building hospitals, schools and infrastructure, conserving the environment and funding community programs that improve health, education and livelihood of over 4.1 million people.[30] The initiatives were undertaken in partnership with the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Among his inspirations, Agarwal counts Andrew Carnegie and David Rockefeller who built public works with their fortunes, and Bill Gates. The activities funded by his philanthropy are focused on child welfare, women empowerment and education. Anil Agarwal was ranked second in Hurun India Philanthropy List 2014 for his personal donation of ₹1,796 crore (about US$36 million). He was ranked 25th in the Hurun India Rich List with a personal fortune of ₹12,316 crore.[31][32]

In 2015, the Vedanta group in partnership with Ministry for Women and Child development inaugurated the first "Nand Ghar" or modern anganwadi, of the 4,000 planned to set up.[33] Agarwal has pledged to donate 75% of his family's wealth to charity, saying he was inspired by Bill Gates.[34]

Environmental record

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Vedanta has been criticised by human rights and activist groups, including Survival International, Amnesty International and Niyamgiri Surakshya Samiti because of the company's operations in Niyamgiri hills in Odisha, India that are said to threaten the lives of the Dongria Kondh people who populate this region.[35] The Niyamgiri hills are also claimed to be an important wildlife habitat in Eastern Ghats of India as per a report by the Wildlife Institute of India[36] as well as independent reports/studies carried out by civil society groups.[37] In January 2009, thousands of locals formed a human chain around the hill in protest at the plans to start bauxite mining in the area.[38] The Union Environment Ministry in August 2010 rejected earlier clearances granted to a joint venture led by the Vedanta Group company Sterlite Industries for mining bauxite from Niyamgiri hills.[39]

Vedanta's Alumina Refinery in Lanjigarh was criticised by the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (the statutory environmental regulation body) for air pollution and water pollution in the area. According to Amnesty International, local people reported dust, allegedly from the plant, settling on clothes, crops and food. Vedanta officials claimed there was no dust pollution from the plant at all.[40] An environmental inspection of the plant reported water pollution by the plant including a small increase of the pH value of the river Vamshadhara below the refinery and a high level of SPM in the stack emissions.[41]

In October 2009 it was reported that the British government has criticised Vedanta for its treatment of the Dongria Kondh tribe in Orissa, India.[42] The company refused to co-operate with the British government and with an OECD investigation. It has rejected charges of environmental damage, saying it may be related to the increased use of fertiliser by farmers.[40]

It was reported in August 2015 that villagers in Chingola, Zambia can smell and taste toxic pollution/leaks from the largest copper mine in Africa owned by KCM.[43]

Vedanta Resources was ranked as "the worst of the 12 biggest diversified miners at reducing emissions and planning for climate change", according to the Digging Deep report (CDP).[44]

Safety concerns

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Balco, Korba, Chhattisgarh

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A chimney under construction by Gannon Dunkerley & Company at the Balco smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh collapsed on 23 September 2009, killing at least 40 workers.[45] Balco and GDCL management have been accused of negligence in the incident.[46]

Gamsberg Mine Landslide

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On 17 November 2020, a mining-related "geotechnical incident" caused a landslide at the Gamsberg Mine in South Africa and 10 miners became trapped; with mining halted, eight miners were rescued, one died and one body was missing.[47] On 18 January 2021, the company confirmed that mining operations had resumed.[48]

Litigation

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India

[edit]

In respect of bauxite mines at Lanjigarh, Orissa, public interest litigations were filed in 2004 by Indian non-government organisations led by the People's Union for Civil Liberties to the supreme court sub-committee regarding the potential environmental impact of the mines. The Ministry of Environment and Forests received reports from expert organisations and has submitted its recommendations to the supreme court. The sub-committee has found "blatant violations" of environmental regulations and grave concerns about the impact of the Niyamgiri mine on both the environment and the local tribal population. The committee recommended to the court that mining in such an ecologically sensitive area should not be permitted.[49]

Human rights

[edit]

In February 2010, the Church of England decided to disinvest from the company on ethical grounds.[50]

The Director of Survival International, Stephen Corry, said, "The Church’s unprecedented and very welcome decision sends a strong signal to companies that trample on tribal peoples' rights: we will not bankroll your abuses. Anybody that has shares in Vedanta should sell them today if they care about human rights."[51]

Vedanta responded by expressing disappointment at the church's actions, and that it is "fully committed to pursuing its investments in a responsible manner, respecting the environment and human rights".[40]

The NGO Amnesty International has also criticised the company's record on human rights.[40][52] It has said, "[I]t is clear that Vedanta Resources and its subsidiaries [...] have failed to respect the human rights of the people of Lanjigarh and the Niyamgiri Hills" adding, "The proposed bauxite mine [...] threatens the survival of a protected Indigenous community [...] However, these risks have been largely ignored and consultation with and disclosure of information to affected communities have been almost non-existent."[53]

Several shareholders sold their shares because of human rights concerns. This includes the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, the Marlborough Ethical Fund, Millfield House Foundation and PGGM.[54] The Economic Times criticised the project in an editorial, stating that if the mine goes ahead it will "impoverish a defenceless populace, perhaps to extinction."[55] In July 2010, the Chief Secretary of the Indian state of Orissa ordered a new investigation into the rights of the Dongria Kondh tribe affected by Vedanta Resources' bauxite mine, in what Survival International characterised as the "...third major blow to Vedanta in a month".[56]

A four-member panel set up by the government of India in the Ministry of Environment and Forests investigated the bauxite mining proposal over Niyamgiri near Lanjigarh in the districts of Kalahandi and Rayagada in Orissa. The area has been the traditional habitat of two particularly vulnerable tribal groups, the Dongria Kondh and the Kutia Kondh. The committee submitted its report on 16 August 2010, saying "The Vedanta Company has consistently violated the Forest Conservation Act [FCA], the Forest Rights Act [FRA], the Environment Protection Act [EPA] and the Orissa Forest Act in active collusion with the State officials. Allowing mining by depriving two primitive tribal groups of their rights over the proposed mining site to benefit a private company would shake the faith of the tribal people in the laws of the land ".[57] Based on a panel report, the government of India has served a show cause notice on the company on why its Stage I environment clearance should not be cancelled.[58]

In October 2017, London's Court of Appeal in the case of Lungowe v Vedanta Resources plc ruled that nearly 2,000 Zambians could sue Vedanta Resources plc as a parent company in English courts over alleged pollution of their village.[59][51][40][39] In concluding the same litigation in 2019, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom confirmed that Vedanta could be sued in England concerning business liability for human rights violations and environmental damage.[60][61]

[edit]

In July 2010, Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of Vedanta Group, received a tax notice of about ₹3.24 billion (US$39 million), and was charged with violating several rules by the excise department in India.[62] Excise officials charged Sterlite Industries with misdeclaration because the company is alleged to have tried shipping out copper waste for the purpose of separating gold and silver when the waste also contained other precious metals like platinum and palladium.[63] Vendanta also owes the Income Tax Department ₹10,247 crore as retrospective tax as of January 2014.[64]

References

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  1. ^ "VEDANTA RESOURCES LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Preliminary Results 2023" (PDF). Vedanta Resources. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
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  4. ^ a b "About Us". Vedanta Resources plc. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  5. ^ "What We Do". Vedanta Resources plc. Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  6. ^ "Commercial Power Generation Business". Vedanta Resources plc. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  7. ^ Elena Moya (6 September 2010). "Vedanta investors look into human rights issues in India". the Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  8. ^ Vedanta's billions: regulatory failure, environment and human rights (PDF). Sussex: Foil Vedanta. 1 September 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  9. ^ Who is Anil Agarwal? Daily Telegraph, 16 August 2010
  10. ^ "Bold Baron". India Today. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  11. ^ "Sterlite buys 49% stake in Balco". The Economic Times. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  12. ^ Indian mining Vedanta IPO to raise at least $876 mln Market Watch, 5 December 2003
  13. ^ Vedanta to buy stake in Sterlite Gold for Rs 285 cr Business Times, 14 June 2006
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  16. ^ Vedanta unit buys Asarco out of Chapter 11 at $2.6B Market Warch, 1 June 2008
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  18. ^ Wachman, Richard (30 July 2011). "Vedanta given green light for $8.5bn Cairn deal". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  19. ^ Vedanta completes Cairn India deal Times of India, 8 December 2011
  20. ^ "Sesa Goa, Sterlite merger becomes effective - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  21. ^ Mukul, Jyoti (5 June 2018). "Vedanta enters steel with acquisition of Electrosteel Steels, to hold 90%". Business Standard India. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
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  24. ^ "Konkola Copper Mines shuts smelter". Mining. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  25. ^ "Tasmania's Mount Lyell mine to close, 200 workers redundant". ABC News. 10 July 2014.
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  30. ^ "Sesa Sterlite wins Asian CSR Leadership Award". The Navhind Times. 15 October 2014.
  31. ^ "Hurun India Philanthropy List 2013". Hurun. 13 November 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  32. ^ "Vedanta mining tycoon Anil Agarwal vows to give away fortune". The Times. 26 September 2014.
  33. ^ IANS (25 June 2015). "Nand Ghar project launched by Vedanta, women and child ministry". Business Standard India. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  34. ^ "Anil Agarwal pledges 75% of his wealth to charity". Business Standard. 27 September 2014.
  35. ^ "British mining company threatens sacred mountain". Survival-international.org. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  36. ^ "Studies on impact of proposed Lanjigarh Bauxite Mining on biodiversity including wildlife and its habitat" (PDF). Freewebs.com. Retrieved 1 August 2010. [dead link]
  37. ^ "A brief report on Ecological and Biodiversity importance of Niyamgiri Hill and implications of Bauxite Mining" (PDF). Freewebs.com. Retrieved 1 August 2010. [dead link]
  38. ^ Sahu, Sandeep (27 January 2009). "Indians protest over mining plans". BBC News. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  39. ^ a b "Vednata would invest $2 billion less in India". business.rediff.com. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  40. ^ a b c d e "India refinery 'threatens health of local community'". BBC News. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  41. ^ Nayak, C.R., Inspection Report on M/S. Vedanta Alumnimum Limited, Lanjigarh, Dist: Kalahandi Archived 26 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  42. ^ "UK Government blasts Vedanta for mistreatment of Oriya tribals". Thaindian.com. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  43. ^ Vidal, John (August 2015). "I drank the water and ate the fish. We all did. The acid has damaged me permanently". the Guardian. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  44. ^ "Executive Summary: Digging Deep" (PDF). CDP. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  45. ^ "Balco chimney crash deaths climb to 26, dozens still trapped". Thaindian.com. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  46. ^ "India chimney collapse kills 22". BBC News. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  47. ^ "Search for last miner trapped at South Africa's Gamsberg goes on, mining halted". Reuters. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  48. ^ "Vedanta resumes mining ops at Gamsberg zinc mine – Reuters". S & P Global. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  49. ^ Indian Supreme Court's Central Empowered Committee (2005) Report in IA No. 1324 regarding the alumina refinery plant being set up by M/S Vedanta Alumina Limited at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi District, Orissa
  50. ^ "Church of England sells Vedanta shares over Orissa human rights". News.in.msn.com. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  51. ^ a b "Church takes 'unprecedented' step to sell stake in Vedanta". Survivalinternational.org. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  52. ^ "Don't Mine Us out of Existence – Amnesty International". Amnesty.org. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  53. ^ "Amnesty slams Vedanta Resources". Survivalinternational.org. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  54. ^ "Survival applauds Rowntree decision to sell Vedanta shares over ethical concerns". Survivalinternational.org. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  55. ^ Stop the Vedanta Project in Orissa The Economic Times 17 March 2010
  56. ^ "Third blow for Vedanta in a month as mine faces new probe". Survivalinternational.org. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  57. ^ "Don't clear Vedanta's Mining Project: Panel". The Hindu newspaper. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  58. ^ Panel report
  59. ^ "Zambian Villagers Win Right to Sue Vedanta in English Courts". VOA. Reuters. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  60. ^ Muchlinski, Peter (2021). Multinational Enterprises and the Law. OUP. p. 312. ISBN 9780198824138.
  61. ^ Bantekas, Ilias (2021). The Cambridge Companion to Business and Human Rights Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9781108830379.
  62. ^ PTI (26 July 2010). "Business / Companies : Sterlite Industries facing tax demand of Rs. 324 cr". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  63. ^ "Sterlite Industries charged for evading duty". Sify. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  64. ^ "IT department sells $216 mn Cairn Stake in Vedanta". The Hindu.
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