West Bengal's Purulia district identified as rare earth mining hub
Geological Survey of India
(GSI) is conducting advanced exploration in West Bengal's
Purulia district
to extract rare earths, an official said on Friday.
Even though the rare earth deposit is small in Purulia, the development comes at a crucial time as India looks to reduce dependence on imports of
critical minerals
essential for
electric vehicles
(EVs), electronics, and
renewable energy technologies
.
"G2-level exploration is underway in two blocks - one in Karbi Anglong district of Assam and the other in Purulia, West Bengal," GSI Director General Asit Saha said on the sidelines of the Assocham-organised 3rd edition of Minerals and Mining conclave.
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He added that these blocks are expected to be ready for auction within a year.
"The G2 represents an advanced level of exploration, providing a high degree of confidence in the resource estimation. Upon completion, the findings will be submitted to the respective state mines departments and the Union Ministry of Mines for further action," Saha said.
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However, GSI has not yet identified specific rare earth elements in these locations. Saha said that deposits typically consist of a "basket of 14-17 rare earth minerals," making the extraction and processing technically challenging.
He noted that India has discovered promising
vanadium deposits
, which is a critical mineral, in the lower Himalayan belt.
"We have very good vanadium resources in the Himalayan region, which are essential for energy storage and alloy production," Saha said.
He added that approximately 50 per cent of ongoing early stage exploration projects in the country are focused on rare earth elements.
This comes with a challenge of operationlising mines, including land acquisition issues, environmental clearances, and lack of private sector interest.
Earlier in the day, Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday announced that the central government will soon launch a Rs 1,345 crore scheme to boost manufacture of rare earth magnets domestically.
These magnets are critical components in electric motors used in EVs, wind turbines, and defence applications.
India is also actively pursuing
lithium exploration
, with 20 projects spread across four to five states, officials said.
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