Bangladesh Revives Pirganj Iron Ore Exploration Drive

Exploration has officially resumed at Bangladesh's first potential iron ore deposit in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur, reviving a project that remained dormant for nearly six decades after the site was first identified.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam inaugurated the renewed exploration programme at Velamari Pathar in Chhota Paharpur village under Sanerhat Union.

According to officials, the site was initially identified in 1965 by the then Pakistan government's Mineral Resources Department. Four exploratory wells were drilled across the Velamari Pathar area, covering parts of Sanerhat and Mithipur unions, before the wellheads were sealed with concrete markers, some of which remain visible today.

Geologists conducted an initial survey of the nearly six-square-kilometre area on September 6, 1965, shortly after the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistan War. The survey indicated the presence of iron ore, but no further exploration was carried out for decades.

Although mining proposals surfaced several times over the years, substantial work only resumed after the Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB) launched a new exploration programme through a geological drilling well designated GDH-79/25.

Speaking at the inauguration, Secretary Saiful Islam described the initiative as a major step toward assessing the country's untapped mineral resources.

"The government will provide all necessary support for the exploration and possible extraction of any commercially viable mineral resources discovered here. This is not just another project; it represents a long-standing national aspiration," he said.

The programme was organised by the Geological Survey of Bangladesh.

GSB Director General Abdul Mannan and Deputy Director General Ali Akbar, among others, attended the event.

Ali Akbar said previous exploration efforts had generated valuable geological data.

"The first well, EDS-15, was drilled before independence and provided preliminary geological information. After independence, GDH-54 was drilled in 2000 to assess subsurface conditions. In 2023, drilling at GDH-78/23 in Kashimpur village under Mithipur Union also indicated the possible presence of mineral resources," he said.

He added that the current drilling programme aims to reach a depth of 1,200 metres this year.

Asked about the prospects for commercial mining, Akbar said extraction would depend on the outcome of the exploration.

"If sufficient mineral reserves are confirmed and extraction proves economically viable, we will recommend that the government proceed with commercial mining," he said.

He noted that the area's elevated basement geology suggests the possible presence of iron, copper, nickel, manganese, and potentially gold. However, he stressed that the type, quantity and commercial viability of any mineral resources can only be confirmed after the exploration is completed.