Consider the following statements:

1. In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines.

2. Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines.

3. Rajasthan has iron ore mines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct option is 3 only.

Let us analyze each statement step-by-step to evaluate its correctness:

Statement 1: "In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines."
This statement is incorrect. Under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, State Governments are granted the power to grant mineral concessions (including non-coal, major minerals) through a transparent process of competitive bidding/auction.

Statement 2: "Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines."
This statement is incorrect. Both Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand have documented gold reserves and mining operations. For example, Ramagiri in Andhra Pradesh and Hirabuddini/Kundu kocha in Jharkhand are known gold deposit areas, and gold is extracted as a primary or secondary mineral in these states.

Statement 3: "Rajasthan has iron ore mines."
This statement is correct. Rajasthan possesses significant iron ore deposits located in districts such as Jaipur (Morija-Banol), Jhunjhunu, Udaipur (Nathra-Ki-Pal), and Bhilwara.

Therefore, only Statement 3 is correct.