Raipur, Nov 2 Deccan Gold Mines Ltd (DGML) on Monday said preliminary exploration at its Bhalukona critical mineral project in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district has indicated the potential for more than 4 million tonnes of mineralisation.
DGML, a gold and critical minerals resource company, secured a 30 square km Composite Licence (CL) for the Bhalukona-Jamnidih block in Basana tehsil of the district on April 1 last year for nickel-copper-platinum group elements (PGE). The CL allows a firm to first search for minerals and then mine them.
The preliminary geological modelling of exploration drilling data indicated the potential for over 4 million tonnes of mineralisation grading approximately 0.24 per cent nickel equivalent, the company said in a statement on Monday.
Significantly, the preliminary estimates cover only near-surface mineralisation across approximately 300-350 metres of the 1.3-km mineralised corridor identified at Bhalukona, it said.
Commenting on the findings, Deccan Gold Managing Director Hanuma Prasad Modali said the preliminary estimates are an encouraging milestone in efforts to explore India’s domestic potential for critical minerals.
“Our focus is to advance Bhalukona through science-led exploration, technical rigour, and long-term commitment, contributing to a stronger domestic mining ecosystem and more resilient critical-mineral supply chains,” he said.
The company clarified that the figures are preliminary exploration-stage estimates and do not constitute a confirmed mineral resource or reserve. Further exploration and technical assessment would be required to establish the scale and economic viability of the deposits.
(PTI News)
