BHUBANESWAR: The Directorate of Geology has planned to take up 16 investigations during the ensuing field season to explore the concurrences of minerals comprising iron ore, manganese, chromite, graphite, limestone, coal, dimension and decorative stone. “Special emphasis will be given on exploration in the iron ore and manganese blocks for leasing out through auction,” sources in the directorate said.
The State Government has given the task of keeping 40-50 blocks of various minerals ready for auction in the next four years. The directorate has proposed eight investigations at G2 level (geological features of a deposit and providing an initial estimate of size, shape, structure and grade), five blocks in G3 (to identify deposit for further exploration) and three projects in G4 level (to identify mineralised area for further investigation).
During the 2019-20 field season, the directorate had taken up 26 investigations. Out of these projects, 10 were at G2 level, 12 were at G3 level and four were at G4 level of exploration as per the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources.
These include five investigations in iron ore and manganese, three in graphite, six in quartz and quartzite, two each in limestone, fireclay and decorative stones, one each in chromite, pyrophyllite, china clay and coal.
While two G2 level proposals in iron ore could not be executed due to want of forest diversion proposal and one limestone project, one quartz and one fireclay investigation could not be executed for local problems, the sources said.
The directorate has finalised geological reports of 11 major mineral blocks and 20 specified minor mineral blocks out of which two major mineral blocks have been auctioned. The value of estimated resource of these 11 major minerals is provisionally about Rs 12,892 crore which includes Rs 106.5 crore for graphite of Jagdalpur in Rayagada and Rs 6,856.7 crore for limestone and dolomite of Khatkurbahal in Sundargarh district.
The Government had auctioned 24 mining blocks, leases of which expired on March 31, 2020, for an resource value of Rs 6.09 lakh crore and two virgin blocks for an estimated value of Rs 6,963 crore in 2019-20.
