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Mineral Resources of Karnataka

    Categories: Industry

The state of Karnataka is endowed with rich deposits of mineral wealth. The mineral resources are distributed quite uniformly across the state’s territory. Karnataka boasts of having one of the oldest Geological Survey Departments in the country that started functioning way back in 1880.

Mineral Belts in Karnataka

Karnataka falls under two well-defined mineral belts of India:

The Southern Belt: The Southern Belt mostly covers the Karnataka plateau and extends over the state of Tamil Nadu. This belt is rich in ferrous metals such as iron ore and manganese. Bauxite and limestone are also found. The Southern belt lacks in mica and copper deposits.

The South-Western Belt: The South-Western Belt stretches over Southern Karnataka and Goa. It has rich deposits of iron ore, garnet and clay.

Kolar Gold Fields. Photographer Edgar Thurston – Thurston, Edgar (1913)

Mineral resource diversity in Karnataka

Karnataka has more than with 40,000 sq. km of green stone belts abundant with a variety of mineral resources like gold, silver, copper, iron, kaolin, manganese, limestone, ochre, quartz, dolomite, chromite, silica sand, granite, and other useful rock formations.

The state is the sole producer of felsite and leading producer of gold, moulding sand, and fuchsite quartzite. Karnataka has two major centres for gold mining at Kolar and Raichur and together they produce about 3000 kg of gold every year. With 84 percent of India’s annual gold production coming from Karnataka, the state boasts of being the highest gold producer of the county. It has rich deposits of iron and manganese ores that measure to the tune of 1,000 million tonnes. Its granite rock deposits extend over 4200 sq. km and provide ornamental granites of splendid hues.

Mineral resource distribution in Karnataka

The following is the district-wise mineral resource distribution in Karnataka:

DistrictMinerals Found
BagalkotDolomite, Iron Ore (H), Limestone, Quartz/Silica sand, Granite
BangaloreChina clay, Felspar, Fireclay, Quartz/Silica sand, Corundum, Granite
BelgaumBauxite, China Clay, Dolomite, Felspar, Limestone, Manganese, Quartz/Silica sand, Calcite, Fuller's earth
BellaryChina Clay, Iron Ore (H), Limestone, Manganese, Ochre, Steatite, Corundum, Granite
BidarChina Clay, Ochre
BijapurDolomite, Limestone, Calcite, Granite
ChikballapuraBauxite
ChikmagalurBauxite, China Clay, Chromite, Pyroxenite, Iron Ore (H), Iron ore (M), Kyanite, Limestone, Manganese, Quartz/Silica sand, Steatite, Asbestos, Copper
ChitradurgaDolomite, Felspar, Fireclay, Gold, Iron Ore (H), Kyanite, Limestone, Manganese, Quartz/Silica sand, Steatite, Barytes &Pyrite, Copper, Corundum, silver
CoorgKyanite, Magnesite, Corundum
Dakshin KannadaBauxite, China Clay, Iron ore (M), Kyanite, Limestone, Quartz/Silica sand
DevangereIron Ore (H), Limestone, Manganese, Quartz/Silica sand
DharwadChina Clay, Fireclay, Gold, Iron Ore (H), Quartz/Silica sand
GadagChina Clay, Iron Ore (H), Limestone, Manganese, Tungsten
GulbargaLimestone, Quartz/Silica sand, Copper, Fuller's earth, Granite, Gypsum
HassanChina Clay, Chromite, Pyroxenite, Felspar, Fireclay, Gold, Iron ore (M), Steatite, Asbestos, Copper, Corundum, Vanadium
HassanLimestone, Quartz/Silica sand, Granite, Titanium
HaveriChina Clay, Iron Ore (H), Quartz/Silica sand
KolarChina Clay, Fireclay, Gold, Ochre, Quartz/Silica sand, Granite, Graphite, Tungsten
KoppalGranite
MandyaKyanite, Magnesite, Quartz/Silica sand, Steatite, Asbestos, Corundum
MysoreChromite, Dolomite, Pyroxenite, Kyanite, Limestone, Magnesite, Quartz/Silica sand, Steatite, Asbestos, Calcite, Corundum, Graphite
RaichurFelspar, Quartz/Silica sand, Steatite, Copper, Granite, Silver, Tungsten
ShimogaChina Clay, Fireclay, Gold, Iron Ore (H), Iron ore (M), Kyanite, Limestone, Manganese, Quartz/Silica sand, Asbestos, Copper, Titanium, Vanadium
TumkurChina Clay, Dolomite, Fireclay, Gold, Iron Ore (H), Limestone, Manganese, Quartz/Silica sand, Steatite, Granite
UdupiBauxite, Limestone, Quartz/Silica sand
Uttar KannadaBauxite, China Clay, Dolomite, Iron Ore (H), Iron ore (M), Limestone, Manganese, Quartz/Silica sand, Copper, Granite, nickel, Titanium, Vanadium

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