Mr Dinsha Patel minister of state for mines (independent charge) informed the Rajya Sabha Karnataka state government detected 12891 cases of illegal mining of minor and major minerals for the period June, 2006 till December, 2009, and for the year 2010-11, it has reported 6476 cases of illegal mining.

Details of iron ore produced illegally in Karnataka are not maintained centrally. As per the National Mineral Inventory maintained by the Indian Bureau of Mines, 34.91% of total iron ore resources in the country is found in Karnataka.

As per the directions of Apex Court, mining operations and transportation in Bellary district were suspended till further orders. On 5th August 2011, the Apex Court permitted two mines of NMDC in the Bellary district to produce iron ore to the extent of one million tones per month commencing from 6th August 2011 till further orders and mining operations have been restrained in 142 mines by Court directions on account of environmental hazard in the State of Karnataka, and 40,000 (estimated) workers have been affected by this ban. Further vide directions dated 26th August 2011, mining activities in districts of Tumkur and Chitradurga in Karnataka have also been suspended by the Supreme Court.