Gold
- Source: Gold occurs in auriferous rocks and alluvial gold (river sands).
- Uses: Primarily used for making ornaments and as an international currency due to its universal value.
- Production: India imports gold due to insufficient domestic production, mainly from Australia, Canada, and Myanmar.
- Countries with Significant Gold Deposits: South Africa, Australia, Indonesia, Canada, Ghana, Chile, China, USA, and Russia.
- Reserve in India
| State | Percentage |
| Bihar | 45% of reserves. |
| Rajasthan | 23% of reserves. |
| Karnataka | 22% of reserves. |
- Gold Mines in India:
- Kolar Gold Field and Hutti Gold Mines (Karnataka).
- Lava Gold Mines (Jharkhand).
- Sonbhadra Mine (Uttar Pradesh).
- Parasi, Pahadia, Kunderkocha, and Bhitar Dari (Jharkhand).
Silver
- Source: Silver is often found mixed with metals like copper, lead, zinc, and gold. It is extracted as a byproduct during the electrolysis or chemical refining of these ores.
- Uses:
- Jewelry and ornaments (second to gold).
- Electroplating, photography, glass coloring, and in chemicals.
- Major Silver Producing States in India:
- Rajasthan: Largest producer, mainly from Zawar mines (Udaipur), where silver is a byproduct of lead ore (galena).
- Karnataka and Jharkhand: Silver is produced as a byproduct during the refining of gold in Kolar and Hutti Gold Fields.
- Andhra Pradesh: Vizag Zinc Smelter produces silver from lead concentrates.
- Other States: Silver traces are found in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, and Andhra Pradesh.
- Silver Mines in India:
- Zawar Mines, Sindesar Khurd, Rampura Agucha, Rajpura Dariba (all in Rajasthan).
- Hutti Mines (Karnataka).
