“The government is leaving no stone unturned for promotion and development of exploration and mining of minerals in the province of Punjab,” Waqas Rasheed said.
The Punjab Mines and Minerals Department, in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Pakistan, launched a project on Tuesday to assess the potential of placer gold deposits in the Indus River in District Attock.
Captain (Retd) Waqas Rasheed, Additional Secretary Mines and Minerals Department Punjab, and officials from the Geological Survey of Pakistan and the Punjab Mines and Minerals Department visited the project site in the Indus River at Attock Kurd.
Waqas Rasheed told reporters that the evaluation project would be completed at a cost of Rs 48.2 million, with a detailed report due by June 2023. He stated that the assessment project of placer gold deposits was carried out using drone technology, geology surveys, induced polarisation, and sampling.
He stated that, as a result of the survey, sampling of underground material would be done through additional drilling in the promising area. “The province of Punjab is very rich in minerals, and each district has some distinct wealth in its geological structures and topography,” he added.
Rasheed stated that while Punjab was rich in natural resources, there was an urgent need for search and exploration. “However, development and prosperity depend on the proper use of these resources with wisdom and intelligence.”
“The government is leaving no stone unturned for the promotion and development of exploration and mining of minerals in the province of Punjab,” he said.
Placer gold deposits are concentrations of gold that have been deposited in rivers, streams, and other bodies of water. These deposits are typically formed by the erosion and weathering of gold-bearing rocks, which causes the gold to be washed into the water and deposited in gravel beds, sand bars, and other areas where the water flow slows down.
Placer gold can be mined using a variety of techniques, including panning, sluicing, and dredging. The location of placer gold deposits is typically determined through geological mapping, sampling, and testing.