The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has discovered an additional 2,290.14 million tonnes of coal this year up to June 2007, secretary in the Ministry of Mines JP Singh announced at the 42nd meeting of the Central Geological Board on Friday 28 September.

He said India has generated tremendous interest in the global mineral industry. In the light the proposed changes in the new Mineral Policy, the GSI, too, needs to change to serve the country better. He said state governments should be more proactive in exploring and prospecting minerals, which are building blocks of industrial development and growth.

The board reviewed the projects undertaken during 2006-07. It also discussed and approved the GSI''s annual programme for 2007-08. This year, it explored additional gold ore resources of 0.48 million tonnes in the Tumkur district of Karnataka, and 7.32 million tonnes in the Banswara district of Rajasthan.

The GSI has located two kimberlite (the rock in which diamonds are found) pipes each in the Mahboobnagar and Timmasamumdran districts of Andhra Pradesh. It has also assessed iron ore resources in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Orissa and Chhattisgarh.

Apart from this, GSI successfully explored various mineral resources like basemetal (copper ore) in Rajasthan and Maharashtra, manganese and bauxite in Orissa, graphite in Tamil Nadu and limestone in Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya.

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