Sources in the mining department informed that a new deposit of cement-grade limestone was discovered in 1600 acres of area in Charbhata, Murmunda blocks of Rajnandgaon district. The department estimates that the new blocks have a reserve of more than 50 million tonne of limestone. The state has a limestone deposit of 3580 million tonne.
After the discovery of new limestone mines in the district, industrialists are lining up to get the mining lease. "The department has already received more than a dozen applications for mining lease in the new deposit," a senior official with the department of mining in Rajnandgaon said.
The official said two big companies were also in the race. "Since the matter is in the initial stage, the names of the companies cannot be disclosed," he said, adding that the companies had planned to set up cement plant in the district if it succeeded in getting the mining lease of the new deposits.
The new mines would now pave ways for the cement industries to come up in Rajnandgaon district that is considered industrially backward district in the state. The district also houses the home assembly constituency of Chief Minister Raman Singh and the officials are keen to see at least two major cement plants come up in the area.
