JACKPOT for India as country has 8.52 million tonnes reserves of rare earth elements, they are located in these cities, names are…
India has about 7.23 million tonnes of Rare Earth Oxide (REO), found in around 13.15 million tonnes of monazite, a mineral that contains both thorium and rare earths. These are mainly located in beach sands, red and teri sands, and inland river areas across several states like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Apart from this, another 1.29 million tonnes of rare earths are present in hard rock areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
This information was shared in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh. He mentioned that the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), which works under the Department of Atomic Energy, is actively searching for more rare earth minerals across the country. Their work includes exploring coastal areas, river sands, and hard rock regions where these minerals are likely to be found.
Discovery of 482.6 million tonnes of rare earth ore
Jitendra Singh also revealed that the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found about 482.6 million tonnes of rare earth ore through 34 different exploration projects across various parts of the country.
He also mentioned that in the last 10 years, India has exported just 18 tonnes of rare earth minerals and hasn’t imported any during this time.
To address the challenges caused by export bans on rare earth magnets by certain countries, Singh said that the Ministry of External Affairs is actively working with other nations and international partners.
India is continuing discussions at both bilateral (one-on-one) and multilateral (involving multiple countries) levels to boost cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including rare earth minerals and related technologies. These efforts are aimed at keeping supply chains stable and protecting the interests of Indian businesses that rely on these materials.
The Ministry of Mines is taking major steps to ensure that India has a stable and secure supply of key minerals, especially Rare Earth Elements. These minerals play a crucial role in producing electric vehicles, clean energy technologies like solar panels and wind turbines, and essential defence systems.
To meet this need, the Indian government is forming strong ties with countries that have rich reserves of these minerals.
Minerals such as lithium, cobalt, graphite, titanium, and rare earths are in high demand because they are vital to many fast-growing industries. To support these sectors and keep the supply chain strong, the Ministry has also brought in several important policy changes and reforms.
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