Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inspects the gold produced at the Geomysore Jonnagiri gold plant after inaugurating its first unit, at Jonnagiri in Kurnool district on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Andhra Pradesh government is preparing to re-auction the Ramagiri North and Ramagiri South Gold Blocks in Ananthapuramu district of Rayalaseema region, with a Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) proposed to be issued in July 2026, Mukesh Kumar Meena, Principal Secretary, Mines Department, told The Hindu.
The two gold-bearing blocks, located in Ramagiri mandal, cover a total area of 2,000 hectares, comprising 1,000 hectares each in the Ramagiri North and Ramagiri South sectors.
The blocks are being offered under a Composite Licence (CL) and have been explored up to the G4 reconnaissance level by Mineral Exploration, Research and Innovation Trust (MERIT).
The Ramagiri Gold Field has a long mining history dating back to ancient times. Modern commercial mining was undertaken between 1905 and 1925 by companies managed by John Taylor and Sons of London.
During that period, the Chennabhavi Mines produced 1,36,633 ounces of gold from 2.21 lakh tonnes of ore, while Jibutil Gold Mines yielded 39,116 ounces from 1.40 lakh tonnes of ore. Mining operations were eventually suspended during the First World War and were never fully revived.
The region later came under the ambit of Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML), the central government undertaking that operated the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF).
However, BGML’s operations were closed in 2001. Geological experts regard the Ramagiri Greenstone Belt as one of the significant gold-bearing belts of the Eastern Dharwar Craton, comparable to the Kolar, Hutti and Veligallu gold belts. According to official records, MERIT’s preliminary investigations identified ancient workings and previously mined zones across both blocks, indicating promising gold mineralisation.
Earlier exploration data generated by GMSI, which held reconnaissance permits in the area between 2001 and 2004, also forms part of the available geological database. The blocks were previously auctioned to Andhra Mining Corporation, but the Letters of Intent were revoked after the statutory period for execution of Composite Licences expired without fulfilment of required conditions.
In addition to the Ramagiri gold blocks, the State government is also planning to auction the other potential gold mines in Andhra Pradesh, including Chigurgunta-Bisanatham block in Chittoor district, Boksampalli and Javakula blocks in Ananthapuramu district.
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu launched commercial exploitation of gold at Jonnagiri in Tuggali mandal of Kurnool district earlier this week.
Published – June 26, 2026 03:07 pm IST
