Bhopal, Sept 14: Deposits of precious minerals like diamond, gold, nickel, platinum, palladium and copper have been found in Madhya Pradesh, which stood among the top eight mineral rich states in the country.

While both industrial and gem variety diamond was being mined in Panna district for decades, 15 diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes have been found in Chhatarpur and Panna districts during recent exploration, Mineral Resources Minister Laxmikant Sharma said.

Besides, deposits of gold and nickel have been found in Sidhi district, gold in Katni district, gold and copper in Shahdol district and platinum and palladium in Betul district, Sharma told the department's advisory committee here yesterday.

Exploration work of precious minerals was being carried out at a faster pace with 30 permits granted to 11 national and multi-national companies.

Licences have been issued to four companies for searching fresh deposits of coal-bed methane gas in Shahdol, Anuppur and Chhindwara districts, Sharma said, adding coal blocks have been allotted to Madhya Pradesh State Mining Corporation, NMDC and Coal India Limited to increase coal mining.

Mining revenue touched Rs 341 crore during April-August this year as compared to total revenue of Rs 918 crore during 2006-07, he pointed out. Mainly 21 minerals are being excavated at present in the state.

Madhya Pradesh stood second after Jharkhand in royalty receipts from coal mining, Sharma added.