Hyderabad, June 24: It's seems that Andhra Pradesh is in a treasure hunt with more than a dozen companies hunting for diamond, gold and other precious stones and metals in the state. Among the renowned companies are De Beers India, Geo Mysore, Adi Gold Mining, Deccan Gold Mining, Amil Mining, CRA, Anglo American Exploration, NMDC, Ramgadh Mining and Navarathna Minerals. Both the Centre and the state have granted 38 licences for reconnaissance over an area of 50,000 sq km and 48 licences for prospecting in 22,000 sq km in Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Prakasam, Nalgonda, Krishna and Guntur districts. Some firms have already completed their reconnaissance work while others have begun prospecting. Mumbai-based De Beers has bagged licence for diamond, gold, bauxite, chrome ore, copper ore, iron ore, lead, manganese ore, precious stones and zinc in Anantapur and Kurnool. It has also got licence over an extent of 55 sq km in Konuppalapadu, Gudipadu, Kamalapadu, Kundanakota villages of Yadiki Mandal in Anantapur for three years. Similarly, Geo Mysore is prospecting for gold in Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor and Anantapur, CRA for diamonds and MSPL for gold, both in Anantapur district. "Each company is permitted not more than 10,000 sq km for reconnaissance and 25 sq km for prospecting," said said Dr Madhukar, joint director of the mines and geology department. "AP is rich in minerals and several companies are now looking for new ventures," said Mr V.D. Raja Gopal, director of the mines and geology department. At present, there are no active gold and diamond mines in the state. Bharat Gold Mines Limited in Anantapur and Chittoor was declared sick and referred to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). Now NMDC is trying to open a mine in Anantapur. The company also got prospecting licence for diamond, bauxite, chrome ore, copper ore, gold, iron ore, lead, manganese ore, precious stones and zinc in 28 sq km in Emboy and Bethamcherla Reserve Forest Area in Kurnool. The company has to submit a prospecting scheme, analyse all samples within India and submit reports every six months to the Indian Bureau of Mines and the Geological Survey of India. It has to pay a possible fee of Rs 5 per hectare for a year and a security deposit of Rs 500 per square km. Dr Madhukar said gold deposits are suspected to exist in places like Anantapur, Kadapa, Chittoor, Kurnool and Nalgonda.