Will Kolar gold fields sparkle again?

Commodity Online BANGALORE:
Who will benefit from the soaring gold prices, which last week hit Rs 14,000 per 10 gm? There may be unusual beneficiaries if the gold prices keep rising like the past few months.

Gold price witnessed big leap during the past few months following the fall of global markets and investors rushing for the yellow metal in hordes.

This rise of gold prices has forced the Center to do a rethink on the fate of Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), one of world’s oldest and deepest gold mines in Karanataka which was closed down in 2000 as operations here became financially unviable.

When the mines were closed down, gold prices were around Rs 6,000 per 10 gm. Things have changed during the past seven years. Gold saw a dramatic rise and people started showing interest in KGF, situated around 70 km from Bangalore.

The Bharat Gold Mines Ltd (BGML) was founded by Briton John Taylor and Sons. When the mines were closed down, the Centre had pointed out that the cost of producing gold was more than the output. The gold yield per year also did not cross a hundred kilos.

The mine is situated in a beautiful landscape and the equipment and other facilities are still lying at KGF. The area has a rock science lab, a National Institute for Miners’ Health and a golf course set up in 1880.

The KGF had nearly 4,000 workers until 2000. In a step that has given the signal for revival by the Centre is that it appointed B L Bagra, finance director of National Aluminium Company (Nalco), as managing director of BGML.

Bagra is a veteran in mining and is hopeful of turning around BGML with technology and skilled personnel. Bagra will give a detailed presentation to Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa soon.

Another incentive for the KGF fields to glow again is a directive from Karnataka High Court to the government to consider the factory’s revival.

Experts feel that almost fifteen tonnes of pure gold could be extracted from the roughly forty million tonnes of tailings.

Several governments over the years showed a step-motherly attitude to the development of KGF that otherwise could have been built on its past glorious reputation.

by
santhosh

KGF MAP

The above Maps Shows the clear of Kolar gold fields.

by santhosh

Periyar’s 130th Birthday celebration

On 17th September Wednesday 2008 Periyar’s 130th Birthday celebration in Kgf at Frank and co area Marikuppam. The Dmk leaders wear presented around 10:00 am.

Mr. Y. Pushparaj, Mr. Manivannan, Mr. Nagalingam, Mr. Mohan, Mr. Natarajan,
Mr. Prakasham, Mr. Ratchat. Wear presented in the function.


Photo and Report by santhosh P kumar.

By
Santhosh

Anna’s 100th Birthday celebration

On 15th September Monday 2008 Anna Dorai 100th Birthday celebration was celebrated at marikuppam Additional Revertes lane area in Kgf. Chocolate wear distributed for Govt school children’s like Govt Telugu School and Govt Kannada and Tamil school.

DMK leaders
Mr. Y. Pushparaj, Mr. Manivannan, Mr. P natarajan, Mr. Mohan, Mr. Nagalingam
Mr. Natraj wear presented.

Photo’s
The 1st photo DMK flag hoisting.
The 2nd photo is flowering for Anna’s photo.
The 3rd photo from left Mr. P. Natarajan, Mr. Y. Pushparaj and Mr. Mohan.
The 4th and 5th photo group photo by DMK Members.
The 6th and 7th photo Chocolate distribution for Telugu school children’s.
The 8th and 9th photo Chocolate distribution for Kannada and Tamil school children’s by Mr. Y. Pushparaj and Mr. P. Natarajan and Mr. Mohan.

Photo and Report By santhosh P kumar

By
Santhosh

The Mother of Mines Feast

On 14-August-2008 Sunday It was 34th Annual feast of Mother of Mines Church in KGF. The Church was beautifully decorated and there was huge crowd in church premises from morning till midnight.

The lunch was provided for 50,000 members who were presented in feast and in evening mothers chariot was fully decorated and was in procession. Many peoples from many parts of Bangalore, kolar, Mysore, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh wear presented.


The photographs are.

# The 1st , 2nd and 3rd photo are mother and Christ photo of the church.
# The 4th photo is outside view of The Mother Of Mines Church.
# The 5th photo is from left Pastor Y. Pushparaj, Mrs Rajeshwari Pushparaj and there elder son Mr P. Rajesh kumar were presented in feast.
# The 6th , 7th , 9th and 10th photo are outside of church and crowd who attended Feast.
# The 8th photo is Inside view of Mother Of Mines church.
# The 11th ,12th and 13th Photo is The lunch provided for all.

The Photo and Report by santhosh P kumar.


By
santhosh

Tennants shaft

The shaft is Tennants which is located in champion reef kolar gold fields.
The above photo shows the shaft, you can also see the ad mine office and fire emergency room which is completely destroyed. I have been there when I was 15 my father was working in tenants it was beautiful to see. I have seen many shafts in kgf because my Dad had worked in many shafts and I had a chance to see.

The 1st photo is Tennants shaft.
The 2nd photo is Tennants complex board.
The 3rd photo is Tennants complex campus.
The 4th and 5th photo is Tennants shaft Fire emergency room with busses.

The Photo by santhosh P kumar on 07 August 2008

BY
santhosh

Kolar gold field Battalion from 1903 to 1947

A few scarce badges fall into this category. Although arguably these could be better classed as items of "militaria" they never the less have a strong mining connection. The bulk of this badge grouping comprises cap or "sweat heart" badges issued to/by men serving in the various Sappers & Miners or Tunneling companies of the Royal Engineers Corps. during the Great War of 1914-18. During the First World War miners from all over the United Kingdom were drafted into the Royal Engineers in huge numbers to form special "Tunneling" or "Mining" companies. These companies were involved in the comparatively little known but highly important work of under mining and then exploding huge charges below the enemy trenches. German miners were similarly employed on their own side of the trenches and there are many accounts of miners from both sides engaging in under ground hand to hand fighting on those occasions when their tunnels accidentally met.
The rare cap badge illustrated above is from a very obscure British Empire unit (The Kolar Gold Field Battalion - in service from 1903 to 1947) formed presumably from British expatriates and local miners who worked in the lucrative mines of the Kolar Gold Fields near Bangalore, Southern India.

By

santhosh