After 16 years, mineral exploration starts at the Kolar Gold Fields

: The Mineral Exploration

Corporation Limited (MECL) started exploration of the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) on Monday, said Union Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi.

"Happy to convey that exploratory drilling at Betrayaswamy block of Kolar Gold Fields commenced today, " the Union Minister tweeted.

Sharing photographs on Twitter on the commencement of the activities, Joshi said the mining would help resolve Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML) issue over exploration in KGF that has been pending for the last 16 years.

The Union Minister said the exploration started after his meeting last month with Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on August 28.

He said he had directed MECL to carry out immediate exploration in the mining lease area of BGML after the meeting.

In the meeting, Yediyurappa and Joshi decided that either the high-value minerals at BGML are explored or handed over to the Industries Department to set up an industrial cluster to start large-scale economic activities there.