Bhubaneswar: Gold deposits were found in various parts of Deogarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts.
This was informed by Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik in the State Assembly on Monday.
Replying to a question of BJD Lawmaker Sudhir Samal, the Minister said as per a preliminary survey conducted by the State Directorate of Mines and Geology and the Geological Survey of India (GSI), presence of gold deposits are found in the Adas area of Deogarh, Gopur, Gazipur, Kusakala, Adal, Saleikana, Dimirimunda and Karadanga area of Keonjhar district.
Gold deposits are also found in Jashipur, Suriaguda, Ruansi, Ladelkucha, Maredihi, Suleipat and Badampahar area of Mayurbhanj district, he said.
As per the survey conducted by GSI, 1685 kg of gold is estimated to have been present in copper ore at G2 level in Adas area, Shri Mallik said.
In addition to it, he said, 6.67 million tonnes of copper, 0.638 million tonnes silver and 0.10 million tonnes nickel is estimated to have been present in copper ore in the region.
The Minister further said two gold-carrying quartz veins were found in Gopur area during a survey conducted by the State Mining and Geology Directorate from 1977-83 and 1989-96. The survey found the presence of one gram gold in one tonne of ore. The presence of gold is found 30 to 60 metres below the surface of the earth.
The presence of gold is also found in Saleikana in Quartz vein on the southern side of Gopur and in Saaleikala area. As per survey conducted during 1970-71,the gold reserve in Saleikana has 1 gram gold per tonne of ore.
A survey conducted in the Jashipur- Suriaguda- Ruansi area of Mayurbhanj district conducted by the State Directorate of Mining and Geology found the presence of 0.1 to 2.6 grams of gold per tonne and 0.1 to 08 grams of gold per tonne in 2.3 km conglomerate horizon spread over Dhusuri hill, he added.