Gold reserve of around 50 tonnes found in Andhra Pradesh, mining to expand at four more sites

India has discovered a major gold reserve in Jonnagiri village of Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district. Officials estimate that the area contains around 50 tonnes of gold, a discovery that could boost the country’s gold production and reduce its dependence on imports.

Principal Secretary of the Mines Department, Mukesh Kumar Meena, said the estimated value of the gold reserve is between ₹7,500 crore and ₹9,000 crore. Around 1,500 acres of land were allotted for mining in Jonnagiri nearly a decade ago. So far, exploration has been completed on 500 acres, where around 13 tonnes of gold has already been identified. Officials believe the total reserve could reach 50 tonnes once exploration is completed on the remaining 1,000 acres.

The Andhra Pradesh government is also planning to expand gold mining in the state. Apart from Jonnagiri, four more locations have been identified as potential gold mining sites. These include Ramagiri, Jonnagiri, Chigurukunta and Bisnatam.

Officials said gold mining requires large investments and advanced technology. Therefore, the mining rights for these projects have been awarded to private companies through a transparent tender process.

Commercial production at the Jonnagiri Gold Project has already begun. Later this month, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is expected to officially inaugurate the project. The government believes the project will mark a major milestone for the state’s mining sector and strengthen India’s domestic gold production in the coming years.