The Odisha government will issue a notification for the auction of 10 mines in the state by December 23, mines director Deepak Mohanty said on Thursday.

Mines department sources said two iron ore blocks – Ghoraburahani-Sagasahi East block and Jhunka-Patriposi blocks – with combined reserves of over 140 million tonnes will be auctioned in the first phase.

The survey has been completed in respect of five iron ore blocks, five of limestone, one of bauxite and one of manganese.

Mohanty said the government had engaged SBI Capital Markets Ltd. (SBI Caps) as the transaction adviser for the auction. The auction platform will be provided by MSTC Ltd.

SBI Caps will assist in fixing the floor price for the auction, steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallick told the assembly recently.