NMDC, GSI ink pact for mineral exploration in Madhya Pradesh

State-run NMDC on Wednesday said it has signed a pact with Geological Survey of India (GSI) for mineral exploration in Madhya Pradesh.

The agreement was signed in Hyderabad, the country's largest iron ore miner said in a statement.

"NMDC achieved one more milestone in the field of mineral exploration by signing Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with GSI for sharing of aero-geophysical data (Magnetic) for mineral exploration in part of obvious geological potential (OGP Block-2) in Madhya Pradesh," it said.

The data would be processed for obtaining more diamondiferous areas/targets in the 18 diamondiferous blocks allocated to NMDC, it added.

NMDC has already identified 45 target areas for drilling for diamondiferous kimberlites in Madhya Pradesh.

Kimberlite is an igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds.

NMDC, under the Ministry of Steel, is involved in the exploration of wide range of minerals, including iron ore, copper, rock phosphate, lime stone, dolomite, gypsum, bentonite, magnesite, diamond, tin, tungsten, graphite and beach sand.