GSI identifies major critical mineral deposits in Gujarat; mining likely in 5-7 years, says GSI Director
Surat, July 14
The Geological Survey of India has identified significant deposits of critical minerals in Gujarat's Amba Dungar region and mining is expected to commence within the next five to seven years, said GSI Director Bijay Kumar Das.
Speaking to ANI, Das said GSI has played a key role in identifying and evaluating critical and strategic mineral resources, particularly rare earth elements (REEs) and niobium, which are expected to be vital for India's future economic growth, clean energy transition and defence capabilities.
"We have completed all the stages of exploration in Amba Dungar area and in the coming time, we have given so much resources that there can be good mines here," Das said.
He noted that while the exploration has primarily identified significant deposits of rare earth elements and niobium, preliminary indications of lithium have also been found in certain locations.
Das said these minerals are becoming increasingly important as India accelerates its transition towards electric mobility. Likewise, rare earth elements are strategically important for defence and advanced technologies, he said.
He added that developing domestic reserves would reduce India's dependence on imports and strengthen the country's self-reliance in critical mineral supply chains.
"In the case of rare earth elements and defence, we have to follow the terms and conditions of other countries, if we make our own in our country and do our own exploration, then we will be able to do it today. So, the rare earth elements are very good, which are very useful in defence and strategy in the coming time," he added.
He further added, GSI has established resources of around 1,000 million tonnes under the critical minerals category in the Amba Dungar region, including rare earth elements, niobium and vanadium.
Das added, "We have not done mining here yet, but we have completed all the stages before mining," adding start of mining depends on government approvals. He added that research and evaluation work in the region is continuing and is expected to be largely completed over the next one to two years.
"We hope that mining will start in Gujarat in the coming 5-7 years," he added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
5-7 years is too long! By then, other countries would have already captured the market. We need to speed up the approval process and start mining sooner. Our EV and defence industries can't wait that long.
Impressive reserves - 1,000 million tonnes! That's a game changer. But I hope proper environmental assessments are done before mining begins. Gujarat's ecosystem is fragile, and we can't repeat the mistakes of other mining regions.
Amba Dungar has been known for mineral wealth for decades. Glad GSI is finally working on it. But why only 5-7 years? With modern technology and political will, we can do it in 2-3 years. Need more aggressive timelines for national security!
Great initiative! But I hope local communities in Gujarat benefit from this - job creation, infrastructure development, and fair compensation. Mining should not come at the cost of displacing people. ☮️
Strategic autonomy in minerals is critical. But extracting rare earths is highly polluting. Hope we use best available technologies for processing. Also, value addition should happen in India, not just raw material exports.
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