Telangana’s Singareni begins Gold, Copper Exploration in Karnataka’s Devadurga Block

Hyderabad, Aug. 7 (TNT): State-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has taken a major step towards diversification by formally commencing exploration for gold and copper deposits in Karnataka’s Devadurga Block, following the signing of an agreement with the Karnataka Department of Mines and Geology (DMG).

The agreement was signed in Bengaluru by Karnataka DMG Director Rangappa and SCCL Director (Projects & Planning) K. Venkateshwarlu, enabling the company to begin exploration in the 199.13 sq. km Devadurga Block, spread across Raichur and Yadgir districts, the Mining company said in a release here on Friday.

SCCL had earlier secured the exploration licence for the block through the Government of India’s mineral auction process.

Under the agreement, SCCL will complete the exploration programme within five years.

Speaking on the occasion, K. Venkateshwarlu said the agreement marked the formal commencement of exploration activities after securing the licence.

He said key officials had already been appointed for the project and the remaining staff would be deployed shortly.

He said SCCL aims to complete the G4 stage exploration within the next two years.

Venkateshwarlu described the project as a milestone, noting that it is the first mineral exploration project of this scale being undertaken by SCCL outside Telangana.

Leveraging the company’s more than 130 years of geological and exploration expertise, he expressed confidence of completing the project successfully.

He also thanked the Karnataka Government and the Department of Mines and Geology for extending their support.

As part of the exploration programme, SCCL will undertake remote sensing, geological mapping and geophysical surveys, followed by scout drilling at selected locations.

The collected samples will undergo petrographic, mineralogical and elemental analysis at SCCL’s Geo Science Laboratory in Kothagudem.

Based on the findings, a detailed exploration report will be submitted to the Karnataka Department of Mines and Geology, which will form the basis for advanced stages of mineral exploration in the block.

Senior officials of SCCL and the Karnataka Department of Mines and Geology attended the agreement-signing ceremony.

TNT KS