In a landmark move for the state's mining sector, Odisha is gearing up to auction two gold mines for the very first time, with the process slated for the 2025-26 period. This historic step is part of a broader plan to auction 49 mineral blocks, a schedule that will be finalized by a high-level committee meeting on January 3.
Committee to Finalize Auction Calendar for 49 Blocks
The crucial meeting, called by the steel and mines department, will assess the readiness and suitability of the proposed blocks before locking in the annual auction calendar. Gauttam Chaudhury, additional secretary of the department, has communicated the meeting details to key stakeholders including the Odisha Mining Corporation, the directorate of mining and geology, MECL (Nagpur), and IBM's Bhubaneswar regional office.
Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena confirmed the state's plan to auction the two gold mines during 2025-26. Of the 49 blocks under consideration, 35 are major mineral blocks and 14 are critical mineral blocks. "Of these, six critical mineral blocks are targeted for auction in 2025-26 and eight in 2026-27," the minister added.
Details of the Gold-Bearing Blocks
The two gold blocks identified for auction are located in two different districts. The first is the Madansahi-Kanjia block in Mayurbhanj district, which is a gold and copper deposit spread over approximately 300 hectares. The second is the Jaldiha block in Keonjhar district, a pure gold-bearing area covering about 150 hectares.
Both these blocks have successfully completed G2-level exploration, a stage that involves a detailed investigation of identified mineral zones to establish their size, shape, grade, and economic potential. This level of exploration provides substantial data to attract serious bidders.
Transparency and Broader Gold Potential
The government's initiative to prepare a pre-decided auction calendar aims to bring predictability and transparency to the mineral block allocation process. "The Jan 3 meeting will assess exploration status, technical readiness and overall suitability of the proposed blocks before finalising the calendar," Minister Jena stated.
Odisha's gold potential extends beyond these two blocks. Deposits have been traced in several districts including Sundargarh, Nabarangpur, Angul, Koraput, Keonjhar, and Deogarh. Early-stage surveys have also indicated potential gold-bearing zones in Malkangiri, Sambalpur, and Boudh.
In Mayurbhanj district, detailed exploration is actively underway at locations such as Jashipur, Suriaguda, Ruaansi, Idelkucha, Maredihi, Suleipat, and Badampahad. Furthermore, earlier studies by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) reported traces of gold during G2-level copper exploration in the Adasa-Rampalli belt of Deogarh.
Since the BJP government assumed office in the state, a total of 30 mineral blocks were prepared for auction. Out of these, eight have already been auctioned, tender notices have been issued for another 12, and the remaining 10 blocks are scheduled to go under the hammer in January.
