THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Nov. 20: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found two new gold deposits in Ranchi and submitted a report to the state government to start the process of auctioning these two reserves.
GSI Director General Janardan Prasad, who was on a two-day visit to Jharkhand, told media persons on Saturday that the two new deposits of gold have been found in Babaikundi of Tamar and Sindauri Ghanshyampur in Ranchi.
He said that research conducted keeping in view the energy needs has also indicated abundant reserves of lithium in Koderma. Now preparations are being made for the next phase of exploration of lithium in the mica belt of Koderma.
Prasad said that the gold reserves in Babaikundi are estimated at 0.510 million tonnes, while the gold reserves in Sindauri Ghanshyampur are estimated at 0.767 million tonnes. At the same time, two blocks of gold have already been auctioned. Pahadia gold reserves in Parasi and Seraikela-Kharsawan of Tamar have been auctioned, but excavation has not started here yet. Parasi mine is spread over about 70 hectares. The gold reserves here are estimated at 9.894 tonnes. In the year 2017, it was acquired by Rungta Mines in the auction, but due to forest clearance and some other reasons, excavation is not being done here. While Pahadia Gold Mines has been taken over by Maithon Ispat, excavation has not been done here either. GSI is also aware of the Heban gold mine in Seraikela, but further research is going on here. At present excavation is being done only from the Lava gold mine, he added.
Lithium reserves
The Director General of GSI said that lithium reserves have been found in Jammu and Kashmir, Nellore in Andhra Pradesh and Bhilwara in Rajasthan. Now indications of lithium in abundance have also been found in Koderma, Jharkhand.
He said that the country’s dependence on batteries is going to increase significantly by 2050. Accordingly, lithium is also needed.
He said that the Government of India is funding scientific institutions for lithium and critical mining. He said that the Ministry of Mines is also going to sign a MoU with institutions like CSIR to promote metallurgy. He said that extracting minerals is not a big deal, its extraction is necessary. For this, MoU is being signed with organizations like SIMFER, and IMMT.
