GSI refutes claims on Sonbhadra gold reserve estimated to be around 3,000 tonnes

GUWAHATI: Geological Survey of India headquartered in Kolkata has issued a statement denying discovery of gold deposits estimated to be around 3,000 tonnes in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.

"It is to inform the media that Geological Survey of India, Northern region, has carried out several exploration works for gold. However, the results were not encouraging to come up with major resources of gold in Sonbhadra district, UP. This exploration was carried out in the field season 1998-99 & 1999-2000 and the report has been handed over to the DGM UP for information and further necessary action…

In the report, GSI had estimated a probable category resource of 52806.25 tonnes of ore with 3.03 grams per tonne gold (average grade) for a strike length of 170 m in Sub-Block H, Sonapahari area, Sonbhadra district, UP. 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 52806.25 tonnes of ore is approximately 160 kg and not 3,350 tonnes as mentioned in the media," according to the statement from GSI.

The discovery of gold reserves was hugely covered by media.

An investigation by IANS revealed that the entire thing started after the correspondence between the mining department of Uttar Pradesh and the collector of Sonbhadra got leaked.

IANS has a letter dated January 31, 2020, from the Directorate of Mines and Minerals (Mining Directorate) of Uttar Pradesh, which has estimated a total of 2943.26 tonnes gold in Sona Pahadi block and 46.15 kg gold in Hardi block of Sonbhadra district. Thus, this letter states that there are likely to be about 3,000 tonnes of gold in the district. This letter also states that the report of an auction of minerals has been made available by the GSI. The land is to be identified before the auction of blocks of minerals. The seven-member team has also been informed to extract the gold. In the letter, information has also been given on behalf of the District Magistrate (Collector) of Sonbhadra. The GSI stated that the organization is not a party to the news reports published by various media houses about the estimation of the amount of gold.

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