Lure of yellow metal: Bengaluru firm hunts for gold in Chikkamagaluru forest

Bengaluru: The Forest Department is set to consider a request from a Bengaluru-based company to drill boreholes to prospect for gold in 10,100 acres in Tarikere, Chikkamagaluru dist, including 5,600 acres of forest that is home to leopards, sloth bears, among other animals.

Documents show that the Department of Mines and Geology has given a composite licence to Aurum Geo Exploration Private Limited to prospect gold in 10,082 acres of land, of which 5,600 acres is forest area and another 3,600 acres is agriculture land.

According to the letter submitted by the company, the study of rock layers in the area was beset with difficulty due to dense forest.

"The stratigraphic classification of the belt is beset with considerable difficulty owing to its wide aerial extent, dense and inaccessible forest," the document said, listing other difficulties.

Aurum won the tender floated by the Mines department last year. Previous assessments put the gold at "significant value" of 19 gram per tonne to 80 gram per tonne. "Old workings for gold have been reported at Singanamane, Tambadihalli, Gonibidu and Honnuhatti of Hosuru," the document said.

Part of the project involves drilling 100 boreholes across the landscape to further assess the amount of gold per tonne to ensure the project's viability.

"Measures will be taken to minimise the pollution (if any) during the trenching and drilling operations. All pits and trenches will be closed properly and boreholes will be plugged using concrete. The entire land will be brought back to its original setting," the company added.

An official, on the condition of anonymity, told DH that they were surprised to see the application. "These hills are a critical wildlife habitat, acting as a buffer to the Western Ghats. Even the agricultural lands here are shared spaces where wild animals traverse during the night to access nearby forests," an official said.

Veeresh G, honorary wildlife warden from Chikkamagaluru, said even the exploration activity will have an impact on the wildlife. "The movement of heavy machinery and drilling will definitely have an impact on the fauna. Hulitimmapura and other areas where the drilling is proposed are part of Lakkavalli elephant corridor while Tyagadabagi is part of Tanigebailu corridor. Any disturbance to wildlife should be avoided," he said.

People fought to stop iron ore mining in the nearby Hogarekangiri back in 2007-08, said Veeresh. "The Lingadahalli forest is part of a landscape that includes Bettadahalli and Navilugudda, both historic hills. It is also closely tied to people's culture due to two religious places: Biddakallappa temple and Siddeshwaraswamy Temple," he added.

The Forest Department's list excludes leopards and four-horned antelope, but Veeresh says the animal has been documented by the department. The working plan, however, says elephants and Indian gaur frequently visit the area from Bhadra Tiger reserve and also raid the agricultural crops in the Lakkavalli and Tarikere ranges.

Sources in the department said prospecting licences are preliminary clearances. "The real scrutiny happens when an application for starting the full mining work is submitted. That will happen only if the company finds significant deposits," the source said.

Highlights - Lure of yellow metal 
Dept of Mines has given composite licence to Aurum Geo Exploration to prospect gold; now forest dept is set to consider the application 
Old workings for gold have been reported at Singanamane, Tambadihalli, Gonibidu and Honnuhatti of Hosuru, the firm said
Part of the project involves drilling 100 boreholes across the landscape to further assess the amount of gold per tonne to ensure the project's viability
An official said movement of heavy machinery and drilling will definitely have an impact on the fauna

Quote - These hills are a critical wildlife habitat acting as a buffer to the Western Ghats. Even the agricultural lands here are shared spaces where wild animals traverse during the night to access nearby forests - An official