A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that the “Geological Survey of India has stated that gold reserve of around 222.88 million tonnes including 27.6 tonnes of mineral-rich ore are present in Jamui district of Bihar”. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has stated that gold reserves of around 222.88 million tonnes including 27.6 tonnes of mineral-rich ore are present in the Jamui district of Bihar.
Fact: The GSI has refuted the claim. In a clarification, it has mentioned – “GSI completely disowns such media reports published recently. GSI has not estimated any resource of gold deposit in Jamui District, Bihar”. However, regarding the gold ore reserves, Pralhad Joshi (the Minister of Mines) said in Lok Sabha, in December 2021, that “Bihar is endowed with 222.885 million tonnes (44%) of ore containing 37.6 tonnes of metal”. Similar information is available at least since 2010. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we looked for the recent statements made by the GSI on Bihar gold reserves, a tweet was found on the official Twitter handle of GSI. It has posted a clarification saying. – “GSI completely disowns such media reports published recently. GSI has not estimated any resource of gold deposit in Jamui District, Bihar. However, GSI has been executing exploration works in the Jamui district of Bihar since 2016 for Iron and has conducted one gold exploration project in 2012-13. It is to inform that there is no mention of 222.8 million tonnes of gold reserve including 27.6 tons of mineral rich ore in any of its reports. GSI strongly condemns such misleading and unsubstantiated news reports attributed to GSI by certain section of media houses.”
However, regarding the gold ore reserves, Pralhad Joshi (the Minister of Mines) said in Lok Sabha, in December 2021, that “as per National Mineral Inventory, the total resources of primary gold ore in the country as on 01 April 2015 are estimated at 501.83 million tonnes with 654.74 tonnes of gold metal and out of this, Bihar is endowed with 222.885 million tonnes (44%) of ore containing 37.6 tonnes of metal. These resources of gold in Bihar are categorized under United Nations Framework Classification[UNFC] code-333 (128.885 million tonnes containing 21.6 tonnes metal) and UNFC code-334 (94 million tonnes containing 16 tonnes metal). The entire resource of gold ore in Bihar is located in Sono area of Jamui district.”
The information regarding Bihar having 222.885 million tonnes (44%) of gold ore containing 37.6 tonnes of metal is not new. Similar information is available at least since 2010.
To sum it up, GSI denies that it estimated gold reserves of around 222.88 million tonnes in Jamui District, Bihar.
