**Executive Summary**
This document reports on the domestic exploration and availability of critical minerals for India's nuclear energy and strategic sectors as of January 29, 2026. It highlights the work of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) in identifying and evaluating resources. It also discusses the role of IREL (India) Limited and Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) in mineral production.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **AMD's Role and Discoveries:**
* AMD identifies, evaluates, and augments critical minerals (niobium, tantalum, beryllium, lithium, zirconium, titanium, rare earths, uranium, and thorium) in potential geological domains.
* AMD has established approximately 7.23 million tonnes of in-situ Rare Earth Elements Oxide and 1.18Mt Thorium Oxide in 13.15Mt monazite.
* AMD has established 761.97Mt of titanium-bearing minerals and 38Mt of zircon in coastal and inland alluvium in multiple states.
* AMD has also established 1.29Mt in-situ Rare Earth Oxide resources in hard rocks and other oxides in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
* AMD has established 1,800t of lithium oxide in hard rocks in Karnataka.
* Stockpiles include Columbite - Tantalite, Beryl, Lepidolite, Spodumene, Amblygonite, and Xenotime.
* AMD has established 4,39,800 tonnes of in-situ U-oxide resource across several states.
* **Uranium and Domestic Reactor Use:**
* Domestically produced uranium is used in domestically safeguarded reactors.
* Uranium for IAEA safeguarded reactors is being imported.
* **AMD's Exploration Strategy:**
* AMD uses an integrated and multi-disciplinary exploration strategy (including surveys and drilling) to augment critical and strategic mineral resources.
* **IREL and KMML Activities:**
* IREL (India) Limited produces critical minerals for the nuclear energy sector.
* Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) also undertakes similar activities.
* IREL has been granted LOI for three deposits and nominated as prospective lessee for one deposit.
**Impact Analysis**
**Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)**
* **Impact:** DAE gains a clearer understanding of available domestic resources and the progress of exploration activities, as well as operational status.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support AMD's exploration efforts and coordinate with IREL and KMML to optimize mineral production.
**Nuclear Energy and Strategic Sectors**
* **Impact:** Benefit from enhanced domestic exploration and resource augmentation of critical minerals, potentially reducing import dependency.
* **Action Required:** Monitor the progress of exploration and production activities to ensure a stable supply of essential minerals for their operations.
**IREL (India) Limited and KMML**
* **Impact:** Opportunities for expansion and increased mineral production.
* **Action Required:** Undertake pre-project activities and augment processing capacity.
Key Entities Referenced
Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD): Constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) responsible for identifying, evaluating, and augmenting mineral resources critical for India's nuclear energy and strategic sectors.
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE): The ministry under which AMD and IREL operate, highlighting the focus on nuclear energy and strategic resources.
IREL (India) Limited (IREL): A PSU under the Department of Atomic Energy that produces critical minerals for the nuclear energy sector.
Minerals (Critical): Niobium, tantalum, beryllium, lithium, zirconium, titanium, rare earths, uranium, and thorium - the core subject of the exploration and availability assessment.
Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra: States where significant mineral resources have been established.
Department of Atomic Energy
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DOMESTIC
EXPLORATIONAND AVAILIBILITY OF CRITICAL
MINERALS
प्रव तथ: 29 JAN 2026 5:01PM by PIB Delhi
The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of Department
of Atomic Energy (DAE), has a major mandate to identify, evaluate and augment the mineral resources of
critical elements like niobium, tantalum, beryllium, lithium, zirconium, titanium and rare earths containing
uranium and thorium, besides minerals of uranium and thorium, in potential geological domains of the
country, which are essential for India's nuclear energy and strategic sectors.
As on date, AMD has established:
(cid:0) Approximately 7.23 million tonne (Mt) in-situ Rare Earth Elements Oxide and 1.18Mt Thorium Oxide
(ThO2) contained in 13.15Mt monazite (a mineral of Thorium and Rare Earths), 761.97Mt titanium-
bearing minerals (ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene) and 38Mt zircon (zirconium bearing minerals) occurring
in the coastal beach, teri / red sands and inland alluvium in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
(cid:0) 1.29Mt in-situ Rare Earth Oxide (REO) resources in hard rocks in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. In
addition, 29,900t Th-Oxide; 1,42,200t Nb-Oxide; 3,85,700t Zr-Oxide and 81,300t V-oxide in-situ resource
in hard rocks have been established in association with the REO resources.
(cid:0) 1,800t lithium oxide (Li2O) has been established in hard rocks in Karnataka.
Additionally, 149.129t of Columbite - Tantalite (Nb-Ta mineral), 4,250.059t of Beryl (Be mineral),
3,296.679t of Lepidolite (Li mineral), 72.151t of Spodumene (Li mineral), 4.212t of Amblygonite (Li
mineral) and 123.763t of Xenotime (Y mineral) bearing heavy mineral concentrate have been stockpiled
incidental to prospecting operations.
Besides, 4,39,800 tonne (t) in-situ U-oxide resource has been established in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana,
Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal
Pradesh and Maharashtra. The Uranium produced domestically is utilized in domestically safeguarded
reactors. The Uranium required for India’s nuclear energy being generated through IAEA safeguarded
reactors is being imported.
To enhance domestic exploration for the critical minerals essential for India's nuclear energy and strategic
sectors, AMD has adopted integrated and multi-disciplinary exploration strategy (including heliborne and
ground geophysical surveys, ground geological, geochemical and radiometric surveys and drilling) to
augment the resources of critical and strategic minerals in identified thrust areas of the country.
IREL (India) Limited (IREL), a PSU under Department of Atomic Energy produces critical minerals such
as Titanium bearing minerals, Zircon bearing minerals and Rare Earth elements for nuclear energy sector.
Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) a state PSE under Government of Kerala also undertakesimilar activity. IREL has been operating in three locations having the facility for integrated mining and
processing of mineral sands and a facility for extraction and refining of Rare Earths. IREL has been
granted LOI for three deposits (two in the state of Odisha and one in Tamil Nadu) and nominated as
prospective lessee for one deposit in Andhra Pradesh to augment the processing capacity of these minerals
for which pre-project activities are underway.
This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology
and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
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