Our Correspondent
Kohima | December 29
Nagaland is richly endowed with a variety of minerals according to the Annual Administrative Report 2018-19 of Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (NSMDC), which is a Government of Nagaland undertaking.
According to the report, the main established mineral reserves comprise of petroleum and natural gas (prognosticated reserve of 600 million tonnes) in the northwest along Nagaland-Assam border, coal (with inferred reserve of 317 million tonnes) in Tuensang, Mon, Wokha, Longleng and Mokokchung districts, limestone & marble (with inferred reserve of 1000 million tonnes), magnetite with Nickel, Cobalt and Chromium (5 million tonnes of proved reserve), rich deposits of various decorative & dimensional stones and others associated metals like Zinc, Molybdenum and other possible precious metal such as Gold and Platinum groups (within ophiolites and meta sediments) in Phek, Kiphire, and Tuensang districts.
The report stated that the government desires to exploit the rich minerals to enhance the economic status of the state with a view to uplift the living condition of the rural people where rich mineral deposits are available. With this objective, the Report stated that NSMDC, fully owned by the state government was set up by the state government and incorporated in May 1981 under the Companies Act 1956 with the main objectives of initiating commercial exploitation of limestone, coal and other mineral deposits and promoting, establishing and developing economic activities in mines and mineral based industries.
The report stated that the successive plans have been formulated with the basic aim to promote and facilitate mineral based industries in the state for economic growth as well as for generation of employment opportunities.
