Iron ore mining in category A mines in the three districts of Karnataka, where it was suspended by the court last year, could be resumed, the Supreme Court hinted on Friday.

Mining in category A mines in Karnataka's three districts, viz. Bellary, Chitradurga and Timkur, was suspended by the court last year after these mines were found caused hurting the environment.

The A category mines are those which are free of any illegality, and cause least damage to the environment, forest and agriculture.

A bench of Justice Aftab Alam, Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice K. S. Radhakrishnan heard arguments from all sides. Representative of the steel industries said that the industry was getting just half of its requirements. They pointed out that India had to import iron ore for the first time.

The bench said, "If all statutory guidelines are complied with, we see no reasons as to why not allow mining." But the bench clarified that mining operations would not be allowed to run without the statutory clearances even for a single day.

Counsel Prashant Bhushan argued that all those who had been found indulging in unlawful iron ore mining could not be let to resume the mining operations.

Mr. Bhushan also argued that miners should be asked to make good of the loss they had caused to environment before allowing to resume mining operations.

But, Justice Alam said that they wanted to enable the steel industry to meet its minimum requirement of iron ore, with minimum damage to environment. He added that they could not put the state in a pre-iron stage.