Kathmandu – The Department of Mines and Geology has given permission to 156 mining companies of Nepal for mineral extraction.

According to the information provided by the Department of Mines and Geology, these mining companies have been given approval for mining after research and exploration of minerals across the country.

According to the Mines and Minerals Act 2042 and the Mines and Minerals Rules 2056, the department has given permission to 17 different types of 156 mining companies for mineral extraction, said Jayaraj Ghimire, the head of the Mineral Resources Division.

According to him, the department has given permission to three companies to extract termine, 13 companies to extract talc talc, two companies quartz, five companies kyanite, one company marble, two companies red oxide and one company iron, one company to extract zinc, 13 companies to extract quartzite, two companies to extract magnesite, three companies to extract dolomite and two companies h to extract copper.

Ghimire said that there have been many requests for limestone mining recently and accordingly 96 mining companies have been given permission to mine limestone.

The department has also been revoking the permits of some companies that could not operate mines immediately and did not meet the standards.