HYDERABAD: Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation Limited (TSMDC) has decided to excavate quartz and feldspar minerals from 10 points in the reserve forest of Nagarkurnool. The TSMDC will excavate these minerals on its own and will give mining lease to someone else. According to preliminary estimates of TSMDC, the quartz and feldspar minerals were available at 10 points across 2,400 hectares of forest land.
Feldspar mineral was available in two variations in Telangana-- one sodium and another variety contained potassium. The sodium contained mineral is white in colour and the potassium feldspar is pink. Feldspar will be used in cement industries as an adhesive and also in ceramic industries, according to TSMDC officials.
“We have decided to explore these minerals on our own. The revenue generated will be vested with the government,” TSMDC chairman Seri Subash Reddy told Express.He said that the Central government has also given permission to TSMDC to explore three other mines. “We are exploring limestone in Odisha and Jharkhand and copper ore in Khammam district,” Subash Reddy added.
Reddy said that the copper ore was under exploration and the mining activity would be started soon. The Union Ministry of Mines appointed TSMDC as a nodal agency for exploring limestone and copper.
Rock and sand units to be set up
Subash Reddy also said two companies agreed to set up rock sand units in Hyderabad to promote artificial sand. TSMDC would excavate marble and granite in TS soon, he added. Meanwhile, the TSMDC improved the revenue from sand mining from J10 crore in combined AP to J437 crore in 2016-17 financial year. “We have controlled illegal transportation of sand and improved the revenues,” Reddy added.
He said that the sand cost was J3,500 per tonne in the monsoon season last year and it has come down to J1,800 this rainy season. “As a precautionary measure, we have positioned 25 lakh cubic metres of sand for rainy season,” the TSMDC chairman added. The TSMDC has set a target of generating J600 crore revenue in 2017-18.