'Gold rush' for aerial survey in State

Mines and Geology Department grants three category of licenses. The first is Reconnaissance Permit (RP) for aerial survey, second is Prospecting Licences (PL) for drilling bore holes at the site and third is the Mining licence. Gold deposit sites are identified in Hutti, Hirebudur, Uti in Raichur and Gadag in the State, said Deputy Secretary to Government, Commerce and Industries Department, S S Pattanashetti.

Speaking at  a seminar on Gold Industry organised by Geological Survey of India and The Hutti Gold Mines Company Limited in India here on Thursday, he said that four foreign companies and Deccan Mining and Geo Mysore figure in the list of firms applied for the licence. The seminar brought together government officials and private players to deliberate on the ailing gold production in India.