Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:41pm on 11 Dec 2025,Thursday India
Karnataka discovered one of India's richest mineral deposits, gold grading 12-14 grams per tonne in Koppal's Amrapur block (4-7× commercially viable levels) and lithium-bearing pegmatites in Raichur's Amareshwara block but cannot mine them due to protected forest reserve restrictions. The November 2025 findings from a 6-lakh-hectare survey across 65 blocks also revealed copper, cobalt, rare earth elements, bauxite, and chromium. Mining requires Stage-I forest clearance from MoEFCC under the Forest Conservation Act 1980, currently not granted due to wildlife corridors, tribal settlements, and environmental concerns. Armed guards now protect sites from illegal prospecting. Commercial mining realistically requires 5-8 years, while India imports 99% of gold and needs 125,000 tonnes lithium by 2030. (PC: Gold Market & Mint)
