Nagpur: After iron ore, Gadchiroli which has now shed its Maoist tag, may be known for diamonds too if a proposed exploration succeeds. The Central govt has invited bids for taking up a diamond hunt in Kurkheda tehsil in the northern part of the district, which has emerged as a preferred destination for steel makers due to its rich iron ore reserves.Bids for the second tranche of exploratory licences that cover a whole gamut of minerals includes Gadchiroli’s Kurkheda block for diamond exploration. Currently, diamond mining is mainly concentrated in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh, where National Mining Development Corporation (NMDC) carries out operations. If the exploration ends in a success, it would be the first major diamond find outside Panna and could change the socio-economic dynamics of Gadchiroli and eastern Maharashtra, sources said. The Kurkheda block is spread over 212 hectares.The govt has offered blocks for exploration on the basis of data, including findings by Geological Survey of India (GSI). Data is the primary indication of a likelihood of any mineral in an area. A detailed exploration has to be carried out to ascertain the quantity of reserves mineable from a given block, a source explained.Once proven, the block would be put up for auction again, and the entity that carried out exploration would get a share of revenue. The auction will take place under the reverse bid system. The bidders would have to quote the percentage share they would take, once reserves are proven and mining begins. The lowest bidder would bag the deal.The second tranche of exploration licence bidding covers 11 blocks. These include critical minerals like titanium, vanadium, lead, zinc, and zirconium to be explored in blocks spread across states like Odisha, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The rare earth element blocks up for exploration are in Telangana.The govt is expected to come up with another tranche of auctions for critical mineral blocks soon. Nagpur-based Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) is providing technical consultancy to the ministry of mines. This tranche is separate from bids that have been invited for exploration of diamond and critical mineral deposits. Bids would be invited for mining as well as composite licences for a host of critical minerals, sources said.
