Huge deposits of minerals of precious Platinum Group of Elements (PGE) such as platinum, palladium and nickel have been found in Davangere and Uttar Kannada districts of Karnataka, a Union Mines Ministry statement said on Tuesday.
The PGE ore was found in Hanumalapura, Tavaregere, Mesanikere and Magyathahalli in Davangere district and Kaiga, Mothimakki, Biroligudda and Suryakalyanigudda areas in Uttara Kannada district.
In Hanumalapura area alone, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has estimated 0.84 million tonne of resources of PGE ore with an average grade of 1.79 gram per tonne. The GSI is the nodal agency under the ministry to regulate the minerals.
Another region in India where high PGE deposits were found was in Baula–Nuasahi region in Orissa, which had around 14.2 million tonne of PGE ore
