As the price of gold is skyrocketing, this major mineral has not only been discovered by the Geological Survey of India across the country, but the process of mining has already commenced in Rajasthan, AP, and Jharkhand.

Already, Vedanta subsidiary Hindustan Zinc is one of the ‘technically qualified bidders’ for gold and associated mineral blocks put up for auction by the Government of Rajasthan. 

A notice dated May 13, 2024, was issued by the Directorate of Mines & Geology, Government of Rajasthan, stating that the company has been declared as one of the 'Technically Qualified Bidder' for the blocks - Bhukia-Jagpura and Kankriya Gara Block. Besides Hindustan Zinc, Ramgad Minerals and Mining Ltd, Hirakund Natural Resources Ltd, Jindal Power, and Saiyyed Owais Ali have emerged as technically qualified bidders for the Bhukia-Jagpura gold block in the desert state. 

For the Kankriya Gara gold block, the technically qualified bidders are Hirakund Natural Resources, Poddar Diamond, Owais Metal and Minerals Processing, Hindustan Zinc, and JK Cement, according to the website of the Department of Mines and Geology (DMG) of the Rajasthan government. 

The auction process started in March of this year. According to the website, the auction of both the gold blocks will be held this week. 

In Andhra Pradesh, the full-scale production of the country’s first large private gold mine is expected. to begin by the end of 2024. This was confirmed by Deccan Gold Mines Managing Director Hanuma Prasad who had earlier said the same.

In Rajasthan, geologists from the Geological Survey of India first discovered signs of gold in the Bhukia-Jagpura area of Banswara during exploration for copper. 

Following extensive exploration, they conducted a preliminary assessment, estimating 113.52 million tonnes of gold ore across an area of 940.26 hectares. Within this area, the amount of gold metal was estimated at 222.39 tonnes. 

Inquiry revealed that during the mining of gold ore in the area, co-minerals were also extracted. According to the e-auction programme, tender documents were purchased till March 21.  

The deadline for submission of technical bids was April 12, with the auction scheduled for May 2 for the mining licence for the Bhukia-Jagpura gold mines and on May 3 for the composite licence for Kankaria-Gara.

How about Jharkhand?
There is only one gold mine under operation in the State of Jharkhand. The Name of the Mine and location are: - Kundarkocha Gold Mine, Village-Kundarkocha, District- East Singhbhum, Jharkhand. 

The Mine is operated and controlled by the lessee M/s Manmohan Mineral Industries Pvt. Ltd. 

This information was given by the Minister of Mines, Shri Dinsha Patel in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on August 19, 2013. In fact, this is the fifth gold reserve in Jharkhand. 

Two other reserves — Parasi (in Tamar on the outskirts of Ranchi) and Pahadia (in West Singbhum’s Manoharpur) — were auctioned a few years ago and the works in mines are currently going on. Mining in the other two reserves — Kunderkocha (West Singbhum) and Lava (Chandil in Seraikela-Kharsawan) — are also on.