Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate gold mining project at Jonnagiri in Tuggali Mandal of Kurnool district on Wednesday. He will also lay the foundation stone for the project's second unit as part of its expansion plans.

The gold mining and processing project has been established with an investment of Rs 405 crore by Geo Mysore Services India Private Limited and Deccan Gold Mines Limited. Trial runs at the mine and processing facilities have already been completed and commercial production of gold will formally commence with the inauguration by Chief Minister.

It may be noted India's gold mining story was synonymous with Karnataka's Kolar Gold Fields (KGF). Now, Andhra Pradesh's Jonnagiri in Kurnool district is poised to carve out its own place on the country's gold map with the country's largest private-sector gold mining project established at Jonnagiri in Kurnool district.

The government has allotted 1,500 acres for the Jonnagiri Gold Fields project, with mining activities initially commencing on 600 acres in the first phase. Necessary processing plants have already been set up and the project will be expanded to the remaining area in the second phase.

The plant is expected to produce 400 kilograms of gold in its first year of operations, increasing to 900 kilograms from the following year and gradually scaling up to two tonnes of gold annually as processing capacity is expanded.

The project is expected to generate employment for around 700 people. The State government will receive four per cent royalty on the value of gold produced. Based on current estimates, the government is expected to earn approximately Rs 57 crore in royalty from 400 kilograms of production and around Rs 144 crore from 900 kilograms of production.

As per schedule the Chief Minister will arrive at Jonnagiri 11.45 am for Inauguration of the first unit of the gold processing plant and foundation stone laying for the second unit of the Geo Mysore plant at 12.20 pm.

Later the Chief Minister will address a public meeting at Jonnagiri at 3 pm followed by meeting with TDP leaders and party workers of Pattikonda Assembly constituency.

Courtedy : Deccan Chronicle