Sri Lanka, Feb. 2 -- The Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, conducted a field inspection yesterday (01) at the Kotikambokka Vein Quartz Deposit in the Monaragala District, where mining activities are currently suspended.

During the visit, several measures were initiated to halt unauthorized mining and ensure the long-term protection of the site.

According to preliminary scientific surveys, the deposit spans an area of 700 meters and is estimated to contain a massive reserve of 3.1 billion metric tons of quartz.

Following the field observation, a discussion was held with officials from the Department of Forest Conservation, the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB), and the National Gem and Jew...