Which metal has traditionally been found as alluvial deposits in the sands of the Subarnarekha river of Jharkhand?

The Subarnarekha river has long been known for alluvial gold, fine particles of gold found in its sands. The very name "Subarnarekha" means "streak of gold".

How gold gets into the river:

• Gold-bearing rocks in the catchment of the river, in the Chota Nagpur plateau, are weathered and eroded.
• The tiny gold particles are carried by the river and deposited in its sand and gravel, especially where the current slows down.
• Such river-borne deposits are called alluvial deposits.

Gold panning:

• For generations, local tribal communities, especially women, have collected gold by washing river sand in wooden pans, a process called panning.
• The heavier gold particles settle at the bottom while the lighter sand is washed away.
• The amounts collected are small, but they provide some income.

Gold in Jharkhand:

Gold deposits have also been explored in the Ranchi, East Singhbhum and other districts, and some gold blocks have been auctioned for mining.

Gold production in India:

• India produces only a very small amount of gold compared with its large consumption; it is one of the world's largest importers of gold.
• The Hutti gold mines in Raichur district, Karnataka, are the main source of mined gold in India today.

Uses of gold:

Jewellery, investment (bullion and coins), electronics, dentistry and as a reserve asset of central banks such as the RBI.

About the Subarnarekha:

• It rises near Nagri village, near Ranchi, and flows through Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha to the Bay of Bengal.
• Hundru Falls are on this river, and Jamshedpur lies at its confluence with the Kharkai.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Manganese, chromite and bauxite are ores mined from rocks, not panned from the sands of the Subarnarekha.