Kathmandu, May 22: The Department of Mines and Geology has granted 420 licenses to search for potential mines in the country. In the current fiscal year 2022/23, the Department has granted licenses for the promotion of Nepal’s mineral industry.
Information officer at the Department, Narayan Baskota, informed that the license has been granted for the exploration of potential mines such as iron, copper, gold, limestone, granite, rubi, dolomite etc. Last year, the department granted licenses for 450 mines companies.
Information officer Baskota said that the Department has provided a license in Nawalparasi for Dhowadi iron ore mining.
The department, which has been officially established in 2033 BS and has been working in the field of mining and geology, has so far identified 50 mines and granted licenses to various companies for excavation. The limestone needed by Udayapur Cement Factory, Hetauda Cement Industry is limestone provided by the Department of Mines after study.
The Director General of the department, Dr. Sudhir Rajourey, said that the mining department is studying mines in more than ten places this year alone. According to him, iron is being studied in Luhakot in Sankhuwasabha, copper in Dingla in Bhojpur, granite in Khaniyakhark in Sindhuli, dolomite in Sunaula Bazar in Dhading, Rubi in Ganesh Himal in Dhading, copper in Rukum, iron in Ratuwamai in Udayapur, ceramics in Madhes province and limestone in Benighat in Dhading.
Although the department is studying the potential of mining, there is a problem in getting reports of mining in time due to lack of technical staff in the lab. Every year, the department studies the potential of mining in different places of the country, but it takes years to get the report.
Although there are 11 people in the department’s lab for checking mineral substances, only two are currently working. Due to the lack of human resources, the report of the mine studied in the year 2072BS has not yet come.
The department has collected Rs 35 crore 66 lakh 33 thousand revenue by granting permission and license for mining this year.
