India has upped search for critical minerals with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) talking up 195 exploration projects in field season 2024-25 (current fiscal), nearly half of the 433 exploration projects carried out in the previous three field season (2020-21 to 2023-24). There are 16 Critical Mineral Assessment Program (CMAP) – where the GSI carry out identification of secondary enrichment zones -being carried out in 10 States including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Manipur and Meghalaya.

India has a list of 24-odd critical minerals and reserve of at least 17 that it has discovered or recorded.

These minerals are important for the future, as they support industries like technology, defence, and clean energy. By exploring and securing these resources, India aims to reduce dependence on imports and strengthen its position in the global supply of critical minerals.

Out of 48 critical mineral blocks put up for auction in four tranches, 24 have been successfully auctioned.

As per details available from the Union Mines Ministry, and provided by Minister G Kishan Reddy in the Lok Sabha, there are close to 40 million tonnes (mt) of graphite in India, which include 8.6 mt ( spread across 5 States – Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala. Odisha & Tamil Nadu) and 32 mt across Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. – as per the resource augmentation details provided by GSI at various cut-off and grades.

Similarly, phosphorus (rock phosphate) reserves in India have been mentioned at around 31 mt, primarily across two States – Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Titanium reserves – in Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and Tamil Nadu – are pegged cumulatively at nearly 16 mt.

Some of the other critical mineral reserves – initially considered to be less than 1 mt – include ones like zirconium – in Kerala, Odisha and Tamil Nadu and tin reserves – ore and metal in Chhattisgarh.

Resource Augmentation

The resource augmented across States by GSI since MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, covers another 15 critical minerals, including the 32 mt of graphite.

As per the data presented before the Parliament, there are 230 mt of rare earth element (REE – RM) resources in India spread across eight States, with the highest – 192.67 mt being in Gujarat, followed by 30.51 mt in Assam; around 282 mt of niobium – all of which is in Gujarat; 830 mt of glauconite / potash with largest deposits being reported from Rajasthan at 354 mt and Bihar at 300 mt.

Other large resources include that of lithium – also called white gold – which include 5.9 mt in J&K and 6.4 mt in Rajasthan; 41 mt of titanium – mostly in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh at 28.7 mt and 12.6 mt respectively; 74 mt of gallium – prime resource bearing states being Chhattisgarh (30.5 mt) and MP (28.7 mt); 71 mt of vanadium – mostly in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and MP.

Smaller reserves – of less than 5 mt – have been reported across minerals like platinum group of elements (Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra), tin (3 mt in Haryana) and molybdenum (Tamil Nadu – 1.7 mt).

Andhra story

“59 resource bearing Geological Reports (GR) and 65 Geological Memorandum (GM) of GSI on critical mineral commodities have been handed over to the concerned state / central governments for auctioning. In respect of Andhra Pradesh, four GRs and 2 GMs on critical mineral commodities have been handed over,” Reddy said recently in the Parliament.

Resource bearing critical minerals – the GR of which was handed over – include two graphite blocks in East Godavari district of Andhra, manganese and cobalt in Vizianagaram district and tungsten at Anantapur. Geological memorandums of GSI included one block of lithium at Kadapa and one graphite block in Vizianagaram.