Overview
- Preliminary assays in Koppal’s Amrapur block show gold grades of roughly 12–14 grams per tonne, while survey teams report lithium indications in Raichur’s Amareshwar area.
- The deposits sit inside reserve forests where drilling beyond shallow work requires Stage‑I clearance from the environment ministry, which has not been granted.
- The finds are part of a statewide reconnaissance across about 6 lakh hectares and roughly 65 locations involving the state geology department, the Geological Survey of India and private agencies.
- Forest officials and environmental groups cite wildlife corridors, groundwater recharge zones and tribal settlements, warning that opening these areas could cause irreversible damage.
- Field teams report pressure for fast approvals alongside community opposition and illegal prospecting attempts, and Times Now reports the state has deployed forest guards and CCTV to protect key sites.