Around 3,000 tonne gold deposits discovered in UP's Sonbhadra, five times India's current reserves

Around 3,000 tonnes of gold deposits have been discovered by the Geological Survey of India in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra, officials informed on Friday. The deposits are almost five times of country's current reserves.

According to district mining officer KK Rai, the gold deposits were discovered in the Son Pahadi and Hardi areas. While the deposits in Son Pahadi are said to be about 2,943.26 tonnes, Hardi block is estimated to have 646.16 kilogram, the official said.

Other than gold, a few minerals have also been discovered in the area, Rai added.

The official also informed that the GSI started working on finding gold reserves in the area almost 30 years back in 1992-1993. He added that these blocks will soon be auctioned through e-tendering.

The World Gold Council estimates India's current gold reserves at 626 tonnes. The newly discovered reserves, almost five times, are said to be worth nearly Rs 12 lakh crore.

Sonbhadra is the second largest district of Uttar Pradesh and the only district in the country which shares borders with four states — Madhya Pradesh to the west, Chhattishgarh to the south, Jharkhand to the south-east and Bihar to the east.