Kathmandu, May 22 : The Department of Mines and Geology (DMG) has issued licenses for the exploration and prospecting of 420 mines.
It has issued this many permits for
the exploration of possible mines so far as of the current fiscal year, said
Narayan Banskota, the Department's Information Officer. Banskota said licenses
have been provided for exploration of iron ore, copper, gold, limestone,
granite, ruby, dolomite, among other minerals.
The Department had issued licenses
for exploration of 405 mines. It has given permit for quarrying 159 mines until
the current fiscal year and for quarrying 158 mines.
The Department said permit has also
been given for opening a mine for the exploration of iron ore at Dhaubadi of
Nawalparasi.
The Department has identified 50
mines so far and issued licenses to different companies for their
operation.
Department's Director General Dr
Sudheer Rajaure shared that the Department has carried out exploration of mines
at more than 10 places this year alone.
According to him, study is underway
for iron ore at Luhakot of Sankhuwasabha, for copper at Dingla of Bhojpur, for
granite at Khaniyakharka of Sindhuli, for dolomite at Sunaula Bazaar and for
Ruby at Ganesh Himal of Dhading, for copper in Rukum, for iron ore at Ratuwamai
of Udayapur, for ceramics in Madhes Province and for limestone at Benighat of
Dhading.
Although the Department has been
carrying out feasibility study of mines at several places of the country each
year, it takes years since their reports are available due to the shortage of
scientists at its lab.
The Department's lab has 11 allocated positions, but only two are working there at present. The report of the mine whose study was conducted in 2015 has not been prepared till date due to the same reason.
The Department has collected
revenue totaling Rs 356 million 633 thousand 44 till March 14 of the current
fiscal year through issuance of licenses and permits for mine exploration. It
had collected Rs 934 million 500 thousand as of mid-March last year. (RSS)