India Boosts Critical Mineral Exploration in Eastern and North-Eastern States

India boosting exploration of critical minerals across eastern and north-eastern states, say ASSOCHAM officials

Kolkata, June 19

ASSOCHAM Eastern Region Chairman Sanjiv Ganeriwala said several deposits remain at an exploratory stage, including lithium, nickel and cobalt finds in Chhattisgarh and Nagaland.

"We are now trying to establish these minerals, but the next challenge will be extraction and beneficiation," he said, adding that graphite blocks for EV batteries are being actively developed.

"In 2-3 years, we will have sufficient deposits and technology," he said, adding that India is likely to strengthen its position in critical mineral value chains.

He also noted ongoing exploration efforts in Katgora, Chhattisgarh, describing lithium deposits there as promising but still at an early stage. Referring to recent findings in the Northeast, he said nickel and cobalt deposits near the Myanmar border in Nagaland appear encouraging and will be further assessed in the next exploration cycle.

"In India, almost 20-25 graphite deposits have been auctioned, and people are now working, and technologies are being worked out for battery chemicals. So this will be taken as a storage battery chemical," he said.

ASSOCHAM Senior Director-Head States & UTS Perminder Jeet Kaur said India needs a differentiated and strategic approach to mineral development, particularly for critical and hard-to-access resources.

"We have found some deposits, but the approach towards bulk mining and strategic mining should be different," she said, stressing the need for advanced processing capabilities. "We need more technology in terms of processing."

She further noted growing international interest in partnerships with India and said ongoing economic agreements could help strengthen cooperation in the sector.

"There are a lot of countries that are keen to partner with India that should help us secure some collaboration and cooperation," she said.

Comparing India's position globally, she added candidly, "China is leading, that is a bit of a pain point for every country and especially for India, but come what may, we need to gear up and go forward."

Speaking to ANI, Asit Saha, Director General, Geological Survey of India, said India's eastern region positions India at a very good position, supported by the commodities like bauxite, iron ore, which are being mined in the region.

Adding that economies are searching for critical minerals, Saha noted, "In eastern India, there are very good incidences of critical minerals and REs as far as we are concerned. We have a good deposit in Assam. We are finding good deposits in Purulia in West Bengal."

When asked about India's progress in securing critical minerals like lithium and cobalt, he added that India is waiting to mine new deposits as lithium deposits have been found in several parts, including Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir. However, India needs to develop processing technology first.

"Cobalt, I would say, not much, but in lithium, we have found deposits in Rajasthan, in Chhattisgarh and in Jammu and Kashmir. It's now we have to just wait to get them mined," he said.

Saha added, "to get them mined, all we need to do is develop the processing technology," and once done, India would become self-sufficient, probably in lithium for years to come."

Saha also said India has significant resources of graphite, vanadium, scandium and rare earth elements, noting that no country is self-sufficient in every mineral and nations can "barter" resources to strengthen their global position.

— ANI