The Hindu : Front Page : ‘Golden’ hopes for Krishnagiri district

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Friday, Jan 04, 2008
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‘Golden’ hopes for Krishnagiri district

S. Prasad

Krishnagiri: The backward district of Krishnagiri is eagerly awaiting the findings of a scientific study carried out by the Department of Geology and Mines, Government of Tamil Nadu, and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on the possible extension of the Kolar gold belt in Karnataka into the Maharajakadai reserve forest area in Krishnagiri. According to informed sources, the belt extends over 6 km and has a width of 1 km in the north and moves down southwards.

The gold deposits identified in the area are estimated to be in the range of 0.1 to 5.6 gram per tonne. The presence of the yellow metal and other minerals has revived hopes of employment generation in the district.

A study was conducted also on the presence of molybdenum and other minerals at Velampatti and the Kil Morapur reserve forest area near Harur.

Molybdenum deposits were found in the villages of A. Velampatti, Kattur and Sundangipatti villages in the Harur belt spread over an area of 194.86 hectares.

Based on the findings, the State government authorised Tamil Nadu Minerals Limited (Tamin) to undertake mining and drilling work in the villages in 1995. Tamin in turn funded Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited to undertake pilot mining and deep drilling in A. Velampatti, Kattur and Sundangipatti.

According to informed sources in the Department of Geology and Mining, the molybdenum reserves were approximately calculated at “five to six million tonnes at a depth of 320 metres and 113.5 metres lateral with a percentage of 0.07 to 0.072 occurrence in A. Velampatti, Sundangipatti and Kattur villages.”

Ore samples have also been collected from trial points at various places and sent to the Indian Bureau of Mines and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to determine the nature and commercial viability of the ore.

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