Ranchi, Jan. 11: The likes of Vedanta Group, Rungta Mines Ltd, among others, have shown interest in a gold mining project in West Singhbhum while if mines department sources are to be believed, British-Australian mining major Rio Tinto is eyeing to bid for another gold mine in Ranchi to be put on auction later this January.

Four firms have so far evinced interest for Pahardia gold mine block in West Singhbhum, which the state mines and geology department put up on e-auction in December 2015, a process that is being handled by MSTC, the e-trading agency, on behalf of the Jharkhand government.

Pahardia has reserves of 1,162 million tonne gold ore spread over an area of 280 hectare, besides silver in the same quantity.

"We are getting good response. It is true that Vedanta, Rungta and others have participated in a pre-bid meeting for the Pahardia gold mine block," state mines and geology department principal secretary Santosh Kumar Satpathy told The Telegraph.

He added three firms have responded to the two limestone mines in Ramgarh that were given up for e-auction last week.

On the e-auctions in store in January, Satpathy promised plenty of action. All eyes are on the Parasi gold mine block in Tamar, Ranchi, bigger than Pahardia. For this, MNC Rio Tinto is among those expected to bid.

This apart, two other copper mines situated in East Singhbhum district - Dobani North and Ramchandrapahad - will also be given for e-auction later this month, Satpathy said.

On January 9, Sudhakar Shukla, economic adviser to the government of India's ministry of mines, reviewed the developments and preparedness on part of the state in Ranchi, taking stock of the e-auction for three mines, gold in West Singhbhum and two limestone ones in Ramgarh, as well as three more to go under the virtual hammer this month, gold in Ranchi and two copper ones in East Singhbhum.

Besides Satpathy, state director (mines) S.P. Negi and officials of various stakeholders including Mecon (a Ranchi headquartered engineering consultancy that acts as a transaction adviser for auctions), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM).

A senior official said that Shukla seemed satisfied with the developments but gave strict instructions to the state not to let the pace of work flag.

Smooth conduct of e-auctions would be a feather on the mining department's cap in the Raghubar Das government, because according to the changed MMDR Act, states are now empowered to carry out e-auctions of major and minor minerals on its own except coal. Earlier in 2015, the Centre auctioned the state's coal blocks, which it would continue to do.

But, Jharkhand is among the frontrunner states to start its own auctions for mineral reserves. "Once the mining processes actually start on ground, the state's coffers will swell immensely," Satpathy said. "Also, it will result in large-scale employment for the local populace."