Gold Mine Discovered in Odisha; Government Plans Potential Auction

A significant discovery of gold deposits has been made in Odisha’s Deogarh district, as announced by Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena. The discovery was made during a G2 level geological inspection conducted by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), which initially aimed to explore copper ore in the Adasa-Ramapalli area.

The exploration has uncovered approximately 1,685 kilograms of gold ore along with copper in the region. Minister Jena shared these findings while responding to a query from Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati in the legislative assembly.

Further investigations are underway, with the government preparing to auction the newly identified gold mine block. Additionally, a G2 level re-inspection program has been ongoing since 2021-22, conducted jointly by the GSI and the Directorate of Mines and Geology. This initiative follows a primary survey conducted between 1981-83 and 1989-96 that initially indicated potential gold deposits in the Gopur-Gajipur area of Keonjhar district.

During a 1989-96 survey in the Telkoi tehsil area, geologists detected traces of gold, approximately one gram per tonne of ore in two quartz veins. However, despite these findings, the Odisha government currently has no immediate plans to initiate excavation activities as the quality and quantity of the discovered gold ore remain undetermined.

Further surveys are being carried out by the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) at G4 and G3 levels in various locations, including Mankadachuan in Angul district and Saleikana and Dimirimunda in Keonjhar district. Concurrently, the GSI and the Directorate of Mines and Geology are conducting preliminary surveys in several areas of Mayurbhanj district, including Jashipur, Suriagoda, Ruansi, Idelkucha, Marudihi, Sulaipat, and Badampahar, to identify potential gold deposits.

The government also anticipates possible gold deposits in the districts of Sundargarh, Nabarangpur, Angul, Koraput, Malkangiri, Sambalpur, and Boudh. However, comprehensive surveys to explore these areas have yet to be conducted.

Despite these discoveries, Minister Jena clarified that there are currently no plans to establish a processing unit to extract gold from the ores found. The focus remains on further exploration and evaluation to determine the feasibility of mining operations.