Bhubaneswar, (Reportersen), Aug 22: A significant gold mine has been discovered in the Adasa-Ramapalli area of Deogarh, with ongoing inspections to identify additional gold deposits, Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena informed the Odisha Assembly on Thursday.
The discovery was made during a G2 level inspection by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), which was initially focused on copper ore exploration in the region. A plan is now being developed to auction the gold-bearing block, Jena added in response to a query from Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati during the zero hour.
Jena explained that the G2 level re-inspection, which began in 2021-22, is a joint effort by the GSI, Directorate of Mines, and Geology. This follows preliminary surveys of gold deposits conducted in the Gopur-Gajipur area of Keonjhar district between 1981-83 and 1989-96. However, excavation plans are not yet in place as the standards and quantity of the gold deposit are still being determined.
According to media reports citing GSI experts, approximately 1,685 kg of gold ore, along with copper, has been identified in the Adasa area. Preliminary estimates suggest a concentration of 2.5 to 10 grams of gold per tonne of ore in a quartz vein measuring 60 meters long and one meter wide in the Gopur area.
