No 3,350 tonne goldmine found in India, say officials

NEW DELHI: A day after the news of discovery of a precious goldmine in India’s Uttar Pradesh state hit TV screens, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on Saturday dismissed reports of the availability of 3,350 tonnes of gold in Son Pahadi and Hardi fields in UP's Sonbhadra district, foreign media reported.

"As per the news report, published in various media that the availability of 3,350 tonnes of gold in Son Pahadi and Hardi fields, Sonbhadra district, it is stated in the news that State Directorate of Geology and Mining, (DGM) Uttar Pradesh has shared this information. GSI is not a party to the information published in the news. GSI has not estimated such kind of vast resource of gold deposits in Sonbhadra district," Ashish Kumar Nath, GSI Director and Public Relation Officer, said in a statement.

The exploration was carried in the field season 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 and the report has been handed over to the DGM of Uttar Pradesh for information and further necessary action.

"The total gold which can be extracted from the total resource of 52,806.25 tonnes of ore is approximately 160 kg and not 3,350 tonnes," the GSI said.

"The mineralised zone having an average grade of 3.03 grams per tonne of gold is tentative in nature and the total gold which can be extracted from the total resource of 52,806.25 tonnes of ore is approximately 160 kg and not 3350 tonnes as mentioned in the media," it said.

Earlier, it was reported that GSI and Uttar Pradesh DGM have estimated gold reserves of around 3,000 tonnes in Sonabhadra district. While 2,900 tonnes gold reserve was estimated at Sona Pahari block and 646.15 kg in Hardi area.