Fresh deposits for coal, iron ore found in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR - Mineral-rich Chhattisgarh has hit another goldmine: a fresh discovery of 90 million tonnes of coal and a little over 22 million tonnes of iron ore.

‘Deposits of 50 million tonnes of coal have been found in Korba district and 40 million tonnes of coal in Raigarh district,’ says the Economic Survey of the state government.

Both districts are located in the state’s northern region where South Eastern Coalfields, one of the most profitable subsidiaries of the government-run Coal India, already runs dozens of mines.

The survey said the iron ore reserves have been discovered in Kanker, Dantewada and Rajnandgaon districts.

Besides coal and iron ore deposits, 2.98 million tonnes of bauxite reserves have also been discovered in Kawardha district.

Chhattisgarh accounts for about 23 percent of the country’s iron ore mined annually, and 18 percent of its coal production.