Varsity,Canada firm to explore minerals in Bundelkhand

“The company has been talking to the state government since the time information about these minerals was made public. We are all aware that Bundelkhand has a number of minerals,including some very rare ones,but we do not know in what quantity,” said Prof Suresh Veer Singh Rana,vice-chancellor of the university.

“Also,” Prof Rana added,“each mineral needs to be graded according to its composition. The joint research will be answering all these questions. We have been asked to prepare the MoU at the earliest,as the company wishes to start work soon.”

The exercise,the V-C said,will see university students,research scholars and teachers working in tandem with the Canadians.

Deposits of around 30 minerals,including gold,diamond,diaspore,pyrophyllite,feldspar,dolomite,rock phosphate and silimanite have been found in Lalitpur,Mahoba,Banda and Jhansi districts.

Diaspore,a major component of the aluminium ore bauxite,and pyrophyllite,which is used in ceramics,talc and insecticides,have been found in Jhansi,Mahoba and Lalitpur districts. Feldspar,used in the ceramic industry for fine polishing and finishing,has been found in Jhansi. Deposits of rock phosphate,used in the fertiliser and phosphorus industries,have been found in Lalitpur.