Parliament panel asks govt to expedite monetisation of tailings dumps at Bharat Gold Mines

New Delhi: A parliamentary committee has urged the mines ministry to expedite the monetisation of around 33 million tonne of gold-rich tailings dumps at Bharat Gold Mines Ltd (BGML) in Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka.

Gold mine tailings dumps are massive storage facilities containing crushed rock, water, and processing chemicals left after extracting gold. They pose significant risk to environment.

BGML is a PSU under the mines ministry which has remained closed since 2001. The 2026-27 budget has allocated of Rs 8.75 crore for its maintenance.

The Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel said in its latest report that approximately 33 million tonne of tailings dumps at KGF, containing recoverable quantities of gold and other precious metals, have been identified for monetisation.

The parliamentary panel called upon the ministry to expedite the process of monetisation.

The committee may also be apprised of the latest developments in this regard, it said.

BGML was incorporated in April 1972 under the administrative control of Department of Mines with its office at Kolar Gold Fields (KGF). BGML was engaged in mining and production of gold mainly in KGF and in a few smaller operations in Andhra Pradesh.

When the BGML operations become economically unviable, they were closed. The Cabinet had taken a decision in 2006 to dispose of the assets through a global tender with first right of refusal in favour of the ex-employees society.

The decision of the Cabinet could not be implemented for some reasons. However, presently the government is exploring future course and other viable options in respect of BGML, the mines ministry said.