The Mines and Geology Department has uncovered 80 lakh tonnes of iron ore in Sandur taluk, stockpiled during illegal mining activities prior to 2011 and left unauctioned. Plans are now underway to auction the ore and generate revenue.
These stockpiles, spread across 76 locations under 28 mining leases in Sandur, are currently valued at over ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 crore based on market rates.
While the Supreme Court’s monitoring committee had already e-auctioned a portion of the pre-2011 ore, a significant quantity still remained undiscovered and unevaluated for the past 13 years.
In January 2024, the Directorate of Mines directed the Bellary Division to trace the remaining ore. Acting on this, officials surveyed the region and submitted their findings in January 2025, confirming the presence of massive leftover stockpiles.
Officials stated that around 10% of the ore has deteriorated over the years due to natural factors. They emphasized that immediate auctioning would prevent further loss and substantially benefit the state treasury. The ore identification effort was conducted jointly with the Forest Department, which is now expected to approve the auction process.