Lucknow
India, the world’s second-biggest gold consumer, has discovered gold fields with reserves of over 3,000 tonnes in its most populous northern state, a government official said on Saturday.
India mines between 2 to 3 tonnes of gold annually, relying on expensive imports to fulfil nearly all of its demand, which averaged 843 tonnes per year over the past 10 years.
Federal and state departments have discovered traces of gold in northern Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district after surveying the area for more than 10 years, said Roshan Jacob, the head of the mining department in Uttar Pradesh state.
“In Son Pahadi we have found 2,940 tonne… in the Hardi Pahadi area 646 kilogram of ore has been traced,” Jacob told Reuters, referring to the two areas where gold ore had been discovered.The state is now seeking forest and environment clearances after which it will open up the reserves for bidding, Jacob said.—Reuters
