Champion Reefs

Champion Reefs is one of the main mining areas in the Kolar Gold Fields in India. The area is situated near Andersonpet in Kolar District. It has got in it the deepest mining shaft in Asia. Once again this place is named after a British officer called Champion. The Kolar Gold Fields is spread around 17 square kilometers and goes as down deep as 17,000 feet. The mines have been closed.

Gold has always fascinated mankind, may be this fascination is reflected in the historic references of mining at KGF. It's believed that the 'Kolar Gold Fields' have been mined for gold during the last 2000 years or so. The tradition of mining gold started at least as early as the first millennium B C. The Champion reef at the Kolar gold fields was mined to a depth of 50 m during the Gupta period in the fifth century A.D. The metal was continued to be mined by the eleventh century kings of South India, the Vijayanagar Empire from 1336 to 1560 and later by Tipu Sultan. It is estimated that the total gold production in Karnataka to date is 1000 tons.

Renewed interest in the Kolar Goldfields occurred towards the end of the nineteenth century. The ancient gold workings, which may be 200 years old and the workings of Tipu Sultan were located by Captain Warren in 1802 and started in 1864 by Michael F. Lavelle. John Taylor & Company did much of the prospecting.

.Champion reefs was once dominated by anglo Indian foremen miners.

.Reginald Gregory was the first chief miner who started the mining project at Champion Reefs, headed by taylor & Sons they soon were able to purchase other mines.

.Champion reef has many renowned schools, the best amongst them is St Mary's Boys School, which is still known for its glory in sports especially Hockey and Football.

.The Champion Reef Golf County is named after the Golf course present in this place.