As per report, Department of Mines & Geology had initiated the exploration hoping to find coal deposits, given the past geological finding. However, its exploration team struck at iron ore deposit in Pokhari and Durlung villages recently.
A senior Department of Mines & Geology official said that the deposit is 20 meters thick and two square kilometers of area. The quality of the ore and economic viability of extracting iron from it are yet to be ascertained. Preliminary tests of the samples, nonetheless, have indicated that the ore could be of the best quality found so far in the country.
Mr Uttam Bol Shrestha senior divisional mining engineer at the department said that "We have forwarded the sample for detailed laboratory study, which will disclose its contents and quality."
Deposits in Thoshe, which is estimated to possess iron ore reserve of 10 million tonnes, on the other hand was extracted in bits and pieces during Rana regime for making arms and agricultural utilities. It was also smelted and used for constructing bridges along Bhainse Bhimphedi section of Tribhuvan Highway. The mining was, however, closed in later decades. Easy availability of finished iron in the market reduced significance of resuming its mining.
However, considering the latest technological viability and private sector's interest, the department recently granted the prospection license to NNC Minerals for conducting further exploration and mining of Thoshe deposit.
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