New Delhi, Feb. 10 -- Mumbai,

New Delhi :

For years, iron ore was one thing Tata Steel never lost sleep over. Owning captive mines meant predictable supply, stable costs and a structural edge over rivals who depended on expensive mines acquired through auctions or remained at the mercy of the markets.

This is, however, set to change, as the company will lose the edge when its legacy mining leases begin to expire starting 2030.

To secure a stable supply for iron ore, the key raw material to make steel, the company has cast a wide net that stretches from the cold mountains of Labrador in Canada to the Gadchiroli forests in Maharashtra.

"Maharashtra, Canada, all these are options to post 2030," T.V. Narendran, chief executive officer of...