Bhubaneswar: A gold mine has been discovered in Odisha and inspections are underway to explore more gold deposits, informed Steel & Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena today. 

The presence of a gold mine was traced while the Geological Survey of India (GSI) was carrying out a G2 level inspection for copper ore at Adasa-Ramapalli area in Deogarh district, said the Minister in a reply to Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati in the House. 

According to reports, an estimated 1,685 kg of gold ore has been detected by the GSI experts along with copper in the Adasa area.

Answering the question, Jena said that the government is preparing a plan to auction the gold mine block. 

Moreover, the G2 level re-inspection programme has been underway jointly by the GSI, Directorate of Mines and Geology since 2021-22 based on a primary survey report to trace gold deposits at Gopur-Gajipur area in Keonjhar district in 1981-83 and 1989-96. 

The geologists had detected one gram of gold per tonne ore in two quartz veins in the Telkoi tehsil area during a survey in 1989-96.  

However, the state government has no plan for excavation as the standard and quantity of the gold mine is yet to be fixed, Jena said. 

Further, the survey is underway at G4 and G3 levels by Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) to trace the presence of gold mines at Mankadachuan in Angul district, Saleikana and Dimirimunda in Keonjhar district. 

The Directorate of Mines and Geology and GSI are also conducting a primary survey to find gold deposits at Jashipur, Suriagoda, Ruansi, Idelkucha, Marudihi, Sulaipat, Badampahar in Mayurbhanj district. 

This apart, gold deposits are likely at several places in Sundargarh, Nabarngpur, Angul, Koraput, Malkangiri, Sambalpur and Boudh districts. However, the survey is yet to be conducted to explore gold mines there. 

Currently, the state government has no plan to set up a processing unit by extracting gold from ores, the Minister stated.