Bhubaneswar: Odisha has identified three gold-bearing blocks in Deogarh, Keonjhar and Gajipur districts, with preliminary estimates suggesting a combined reserve of around 1,586 kilograms, state steel and mines minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said on Thursday.

The minister said the state government would soon chart out the next course of action for further exploration and commercial utilisation of the identified deposits. A high-level meeting has been scheduled on January 3 to deliberate on the modalities for auctioning the gold blocks in accordance with mining regulations.

“Gold deposits have been identified in Deogarh, Keonjhar and Gajipur. Preliminary assessment indicates reserves of about 1,586 kilograms. Further exploration will be undertaken, after which discussions will be held on the auction process for these blocks,” Jena said.

The identification of gold reserves adds to Odisha’s standing as one of India’s most mineral-rich states. The state already accounts for a significant share of the country’s production of iron ore, chromite and bauxite, and hosts large deposits of manganese, limestone and dolomite that support the steel, aluminium, cement and allied industries.

Odisha also possesses notable reserves of graphite, copper, nickel, silver, titanium, vanadium, tin and rare earth elements (REE), minerals that are increasingly critical for clean energy, electronics and advanced manufacturing. Graphite blocks have been identified in Kalahandi, Rayagada, Bolangir, Nayagarh and Deogarh districts, with key occurrences at the Lamer-Panga, Naringpanga, Rengali and Tamiya blocks. Several of these are at G2 and G3 stages of exploration, indicating moderate to preliminary levels of geological confidence with potential for further augmentation.

Officials said continued exploration and systematic auctioning of mineral blocks are expected to strengthen Odisha’s mining-led industrial growth while boosting state revenues. The government has emphasised the need to balance mineral development with environmental safeguards and local employment generation.

The discovery of gold deposits, though modest in scale, is seen as a strategic addition to Odisha’s diversified mineral portfolio and could open up new opportunities in the state’s mining sector.