First Gold Mine of India
There are several mines available in India at various palaces. In this article, we are going to discuss the First Gold Mine of India. We will first discuss a bit about the Gold and then further to the article's main title.
Gold is a shiny, little reddish-golden, dense, soft, flexible, and malleable metal in its purest form. It is a solid at ambient temperature and is one of the least reactive metals. In veins, alluvial deposits, and rocks, gold is commonly discovered in its free elemental form as grains or nuggets. So before taking it to the purest form, several efforts are made and are done by mining, generally called gold Mining.
The Gold is dissolved in an alkaline cyanide solution that is used in mining and electroplating. Although it dissolves in mercury and forms amalgam alloys, this is not a chemical process. Gold is known for its resistance to corrosion and chemical reactions, as well as its unique beauty.
Reserved Gold Ore in India
According to the National Mineral Inventory, India possesses 501.83 M Tons of gold ore reserves. And this stat was of April 1, 2015. 17.22 million tons were classified as reserves, while the remainder were classified as residual resources. Bihar has the most gold ore deposits, i.e., 44%, followed by Rajasthan, i.e., 25%, Karnataka, i.e., 21%, West Bengal, i.e., 3%, Andhra Pradesh, i.e., 3%, and Jharkhand have 3%. Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra have reserved the remaining 2%.
The extracting cost of any valuable commodity, including gold, varies throughout the mines, and the statement was given by the Union Minister of Mines Pralhad Joshi on July 26, 2021, in the Rajya Sabha.
Kolar Gold Fields, First Gold Mine of India
Kolar Gold Fields (K.G.F.), India's first gold mine, is a mining zone in Karnataka's Kolar district. It is situated in the taluk of K.G.F. Its headquarters are at Robertsonpet. K.G.F. is 30 kilometers from Kolar, 100 kilometers from Bangalore, Karnataka's capital, and 245 kilometers from Chennai. For almost a century, the town has been recognized for its gold mining. To boost mining operations, one of India's first power plants was built in 1889. The mine closed on February 28, 2001, despite the existence of gold, due to a decrease in gold prices and bad economic circumstances. Kolar Gold Fields hasn't had electricity or water regularly since the mines closed in 2001. People might be seen defecating in the open since there are few toilets.
The Kolar Gold Fields, contaminated by land and water
(The Bharat Gold Mines Limited site's ore processing units)
The mine was shut down without warning, leaving environmental contamination near the BGML site. The mines have produced approximately 35 million tons of ore processing residue throughout the years. According to research, there are 13 large dumps on the surface, responsible for roughly 15% of the entire land area of 58.12 square kilometers. The sewage, which includes cyanide and silica, is deposited in mounds. Some of the cyanide deposits, called "cyanide hills" by locals, reach a height of 40 meters.
The waste, according to environmentalist Vijay Kuman, polluted the underground water in the region. He stated during the monsoon, the rivers that run through the waste dump flood, and toxins from the dump leak into the water tanks and fertile agricultural fields, As a result, the land is no longer fruitful.
Health hazards
(Esavel, a worker of K.G.F)
Many former Kolar Gold Fields miners (Employees) have developed silicosis(a disease). Esavel (a worker) said he didn't have silicosis since he worked underground for a few years but later suffered liver issues. He added that the blast, gasses, and pollution caused silicosis in the employees who were working underground. He stated that just a few mineworkers are still alive, most dying from silicosis and lung cancer illnesses. "They typically have to travel to Bangalore for treatment since there are no appropriate hospitals," Esavel explained.
Educated, But Jobless
It's not only about the health consequences. The community residents are also fighting to make life easy. About 260,000 people still reside in the K.G.F., and because of a shortage of jobs in their area, they have to travel to Bangalore regularly for work.
Esavel, who worked underground for 11 years, said he was forced to retire before the mine closed down voluntarily, but he does not receive a pension and must work as a daily wage laborer to make money. After the mills closed, we became untouchables, and the government treats us as we don't exist.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed the first fold mine of India. Although it is now a part of history. But, when it was active it kept India at a decent position in the list of gold-producing countries. It is said that even today there is enough gold that can bring India back on track and India can be a gold export country. The reason for the closure of this Indian treasure should be forgotten and can be renowned to boost the economy.