The government has expedited works related to iron ore exploration in the country to minimize its import from India.

Iron extraction works have been pursued after a study carried out by the Department of Mines and Geology found that there are iron ore deposits from west Namjakot to east Dhaubadi under Hupsekot Rural Municipality-5 in Gandaki Province.

Activities for the study of iron exploration were forwarded by establishing 'Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited' through a decision of the Cabinet meeting held on August 21, 2019.

The company was registered as 'Dhaubadi Iron Company Ltd' at the office of the Company Registrar on September 26, 2019 and operated from February, 2020.

Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Dr Janak Bahadur Chand, said the Company studied the quality of iron ore and volume of deposits as well as completed a geological study, drilling act and chemical testing at the iron mines area.

The Company has been carrying out financial and commercial feasibility despite limited resources including human resources, he mentioned. It has forwarded a process for land acquisition at Kawasoti Municipality and Devchuli Municipality for the industry.

The government has already sent five tonnes of iron at Sichuan Institute of Metallurgical Geology and Exploration, Chengdu of China for the test. The Chinese lab replied that the sample from the mine has enough iron for industrial production.