20000130

200m tonnes

iron ore

identified

ISLAMABAD: Geological survey of Pakistan has identified about 200 million tonnes of economically viable iron ore reserves near Dilband in Kalat District, Balochistan.

These deposits are only 65 km from Manguchar, which is located on Quetta-Karachi highway about 600 km from Karachi.

The ore consists of hematite with quartz, calcite and chlorite as gangue minerals. The total iron oxide content of the ore varies from 52 to 62.25 percent.

The mineralised zone ranges in thickness from 1.65 to 3.5 metres. The horizon is exposed for a strike length of over 12 km. These deposits are exposed in Kalat plateau, where rocks have almost flat to very gentle dips.

Good accessibility, availability of large reserves, simple mineralogy of the ore, structural simplicity of the area, good grade of the ore are all positive factors and there is every possibility that the deposit may prove to be economically viable for marketing.ÑAPP