Agreement Signed with Karnataka Department of Mines & Geology to Commence Exploration
Exploration to be completed Within Five Years: K. Venkateshwarlu, Director (Projects & Planning), SCCL
HYDERABAD, AUGUST 07, 2026: The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has taken another significant step towards the exploration of gold and copper deposits in the Devadurga Block, spread across Raichur and Yadgir districts of Karnataka state.
Having secured the exploration licence for the block through the Government of India’s mineral auction process earlier, SCCL has now signed an agreement with the Karnataka Department of Mines & Geology (DMG) to formally commence exploration activities.
The agreement was signed on Thursday evening at the office of the Karnataka Department of Mines & Geology in Bengaluru by Shri Rangappa, Director, Karnataka DMG, and Shri K. Venkateshwarlu, Director (Projects & Planning), SCCL.
As per the agreement, SCCL will complete the exploration of the 199.13 sq. km Devadurga Block, for which it has been granted the exploration licence, within a period of five years.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri K. Venkateshwarlu, Director (Projects & Planning), SCCL, said that while SCCL had earlier secured the exploration licence for the gold and copper deposits in the Devadurga Block, the present agreement marks the formal commencement of exploration operations.
He stated that key officials have already been appointed for the project, and the remaining officers and staff will be deployed shortly. SCCL aims to successfully complete the G4 stage exploration within the next two years.
He further noted that this is the first time in SCCL’s history that the company is undertaking mineral exploration of this scale outside Telangana. Drawing on SCCL’s over 130 years of geological and exploration expertise, he expressed confidence that the project would be completed successfully.
He also expressed gratitude to the Government of Karnataka and the Department of Mines & Geology for their cooperation and support.
As part of the exploration programme, remote sensing, geological mapping, and geophysical surveys will be carried out, followed by scout drilling at selected locations. The collected samples will undergo petrographic and mineralogical studies, followed by comprehensive elemental analysis at SCCL’s newly established Geo Science Laboratory at Kothagudem. Based on these studies, a detailed exploration report will be submitted to the Karnataka Department of Mines & Geology. The findings will form the basis for undertaking advanced stages of mineral exploration in the block.
Among those present at the programme were Shri Pankaj Kul Shreshtha, General Manager (Exploration); Shri V. Rajeshwar, Deputy General Manager (Geology); Smt. Lakshmi Priya, Deputy Financial Manager; Senior Law Officer Prabhandita; and other officials.
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