Minerals worth Rs17,749 crore were produced in Chhattisgarh during the financial year 2013-14.
This was disclosed in the 14th meeting of State Geological Programming Board chaired by the Director, Mineral Resources, Anbalgan P.The Regional Geological Survey for the year 2014-15 was finalized in the meeting.
Anbalgan P. informed in the meeting that in the financial year 2013-14, the Geology and Mining Department had confirmed presence of limestone reserve to the tune of 75.52 million tonnes in Kesla (Raipur) and Tekapar-Kalkasa (Rajnandgaon).
Bauxite reserves of 4 lakh tonne in Dandkesar (Surguja) and 4.13 lakh tonne in Darai (Kabirdham) have also been identified. The assessment of coal reserves in Saidu and Birjupalli of Surguja is under process. The area has estimated coal reserve of 105 lakh tonnes so far, he said.
‘The agencies involved in development of mineral resources should work in better coordination,’ he directed.Deputy Director General of Geological Survey of India informed that survey has been done in Chhattisgarh for coal, diamond and iron ore deposits.
The survey for iron ore in Iklama Chelikama area of Kabirdham district is being done for Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC).Similarly, exploration work is being carried out for diamond deposits and Kimberlite in Dhamtari, North Bastar (Kanker) and Durg districts. Geo-chemical survey is being carried out in Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Surguja and Korba districts.
Geological Survey of India (GSI) is working in Samarsingha and Amlichhonda of Raigarh Coalfield and Vijaynagar-Giddhi and Peepraul block of Tatapani-Ramkola area. The scientists are expecting huge reserves of coal in these areas.
The GSI has proposed survey for bauxite, gypsum, rare earth mineral, diamond prospecting area and Kimberlite besides geo-chemical survey in Chhattisgarh.
Directorate of Geology and Mining has proposed survey for coal in Surguja district, for bauxite in Mainpat (Surguja) and Kabirdham district, limestone in Raipur, Bastar and Kalkasa-Tekapara of Rajnandgaon district besides iron ore in Narayanpur district.
The officers of GSI, Department of Atomic Mineral Research, Mineral Exploration Corporation, Indian Bureau of Mines (Nagpur), Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (Bilaspur), Central Institute for Mining and Fuel Research(Bilaspur), CMDC(Raipur), India Ground Water Survey(Raipur), National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) (Hyderabad) and Department of Geology and Mining were present in the meeting.