Myagdi. MYAGDI: Locals of Machhim of Dhawalagiri rural municipality-7 in Myagdi district are elated after a study was conducted for the excavation of copper mine, which had remained closed for the past five decades.

The company MS Dongyi Minerals Pvt Ltd, which has taken permission from the Department of Mines and Geology, has resumed study for exploration and excavation of fish copper mines. The copper mines located at six places near Machhim village have remained closed for the past five decades.

Ashok Khatri, chairperson of Ward No. 7 of Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality, said that a team of geologists had come here to study the quantity of copper in the mine. They have already constructed an access road linking the main road linking Muna via Machhim to Tamakhani for the study of copper mines.

Ward chair Khatri said that the process of excavation would be initiated in the next phase after carrying out the feasibility study of the mine. Chandra Bahadur Chhantyal, a local leader, said that the locals of Machtimhim have been happy with the study being conducted for excavation of the mine.

According to him, copper was extracted from fish mines using local technology until 2028 BS. Chhantyal said that the copper mines were closed due to lack of technology and the compulsion to pay tax to the state more than income.

There is a history of the Chhantyal community who came to excavate copper mines in Machhim. The ancestral occupation of the Chhantyal community is mining. Copper ores can still be seen there. There are copper mine tunnels. Copper can be seen on the hills.

Locals had entered the tunnel and extracted copper using cubes and chisels. The copper extracted from the mine was used to make pots, heads, manas, pathis, glasses, and other utensils. Locals have decorated the pots made of copper from the mine in their homes.

Kul Bahadur Chhantyal, a resident of Machhim, said that the government should adopt precautionary measures to prevent environmental and disaster-induced incidents and give priority to those affected in employment. The company is also carrying out a feasibility study at Okharbot copper mine at Malika rural municipality. According to the Department of Mines and Geology, copper, iron, quartz, copper, limestone, barbed, slatestone, marble and hot springs are found in Myagdi.

Copper is one of the most abundant minerals in the district. Besides Machhim, there are copper mines in Gurja and Malkawang of Dhawalagiri, Thadakhani of Raghuganga, Kuinekhani and Mangalekhani. Slate stone mines are found at Narja, Malika’s Room, Dandagaun and Niskot of Dhawalagiri.