Parliament Question: Minerals across the Country

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4489 ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025 MINERALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY 4489. SHRI KRISHNA PRASAD TENNETI: SHRI APPALANAIDU KALISETTI: Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state: (a) the quantity and types of major minerals discovered across the country during the last ten years, mineral, State-wise particularly for Andhra Pradesh; (b) the details of the quantity of these major minerals mined annually during the last ten years, mineral and State and district-wise particularly for Andhra Pradesh; (c) whether the Government proposes to undertake new exploration projects using drones, aerial surveys or AI tools to map untapped or deep-seated mineral reserves and if so, the details thereof especially in the State of Andhra Pradesh; (d) whether the Government has taken any steps to promote sustainable mining practices and value addition, such as mine reclamation, environmental safeguards and community development and if so, the details thereof including the measures implemented so far across the country especially in Andhra Pradesh; and (e) the initiatives being taken to support domestic value addition in mining including mineral processing units and investment incentives, especially for critical and strategic minerals? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY) (a) & (b): While the data on exploration by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), an attached office of the Ministry of Mines, for the entire country is available on National Geoscience Data Repository (https://geodataindia.gov.in), 159 mineral exploration projects from field season 2015-16 to 2024-25, targeting minerals such as gold, basemetals, diamonds, rare earth elements (REE), limestone, iron, copper etc. have been taken up in Andhra Pradesh. Further, since inception National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) has also sanctioned 16 mineral exploration projects in Andhra Pradesh and has augmented mineral resources for coal and limestone. The details of resources augmented for various mineral commodities in Andhra Pradesh during the last ten years are given in Annexure-I. The mineral-wise details of production in Andhra Pradesh during the last ten years is given in Annexure-II.(c): GSI has adopted advanced technology tools such as drone-based mineral mapping, and Mineral Prospectivity Mapping (MPM) programs using geostatistical and Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning modelling to efficiently target remote and geologically complex regions. From field season 2024-25 to 2025-26, GSI has taken up 12 MPM projects across the country including two MPM projects in Andhra Pradesh. In collaboration with ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, GSI is using satellite-based remote sensing and AI-driven analysis. GSI has launched its flagship project “National Aero-Geophysical Mapping Programme (NAGMP)” to acquire uniform aero-geophysical data through outsourcing using National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) fund across country including Andhra Pradesh. Under the aegis of Project Uncover, GSI has also conducted Magneto-Telluric (MT) surveys in collaboration with CSIR-NGRI in western and eastern parts of the Dharwar Craton covering Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. (d): The introduction of the Star Rating of Mines under Sustainable Development Framework (SDF) ensures environmentally and socially responsible mining practices. It assesses environmental management, social responsibility, scientific mining, and post-closure land use. Mines achieving higher ratings, especially 5-star, are recognized for excellence and encouraged to adopt best practices. This system fosters transparency, boosts community trust, and promotes responsible mining. Environmental and social impact assessments are mandated to identify and mitigate adverse effects on local populations. Further, the lessee is required to prepare and implement Progressive and Final Mine Closure Plans (PMCP & FMCP). The PMCP outlines ongoing reclamation and environmental management measures during the active life of a mine to ensure ecological balance and compliance. The FMCP contains the post-mining land restoration strategy, including afforestation, infrastructure removal, and socio-economic rehabilitation, ensuring sustainable closure aligned with regulatory norms. The District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) established under the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, channels a portion of mining revenues into local development projects focusing on health, education, drinking water, and livelihood generation. The Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) further guides DMF spending to ensure welfare of mining-affected populations. (e): The MMDR Amendment Act, 2023 has empowered the Central Government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite licence for 24 critical minerals listed in the new Part-D of the First Schedule to the said Act which includes the minerals of the "rare earths" group not containing Uranium and Thorium. Till date, 34 critical and strategic mineral blocks have been successfully auctioned by the Central Government. The Government has also launched National Critical Mineral Mission in January, 2025 with an aim to secure a long-term sustainable supply of critical minerals and strengthen country’s critical mineral value chains encompassing all stages from mineral exploration and mining to beneficiation, processing and recovery from end-of-life products. The Ministry of Mines under its S&T programme also funds Research and Development projects in critical and strategic minerals processing. In order to support the critical minerals processing in the country, the Government has eliminated customs duties for most of the critical minerals and reduced Basic Customs Duties (BCD) on two minerals in the Union budget 2024-25. During 2025-26 Union Budget, the Government has exempted cobalt powder and waste, the scrap of lithium-ion battery and scrap of some critical minerals. *****Annexure-I Details of resources augmented for various minerals in Andhra Pradesh during the last ten years S.No. Resource Commodity (in Million Tonne) 1. Limestone 5623.53 2. Graphite ore 0.43 3. Iron ore 15.30 4. Manganese ore 5.90 5. Cobalt ore 0.69 6. Lead & Zinc ore 1.55 7. Cadmium ore 0.70 8. Silver ore 0.82 9. Copper ore 1.89 10. Tungsten ore 0.08 11. Coal 2225.56Annexure-II Mineral-wise details of production in Andhra Pradesh during the last ten years 2015- 2016- 2017- 2018- 2019- 2020- 2021- 2022- 2023- 2024- Mineral Unit 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23(P) 24(P) 25(P) tonn 110 0 0 0 0 0 0 Apatite e tonn 0 856 31028 33687 51715 Gold Ore e Gold 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.012 1.637 1.187 Primary kg 000 tonn 493 485 674 654 825 349 319 185 125 41 Iron Ore e 000 Limeston tonn 32579 35515 38889 48295 42532 41148 50278 53526 60725 59228 e e Mangane tonn 18663 23225 17217 29367 33053 25025 20400 21379 35141 42879 se Ore e 2 7 4 9 0 5 2 0 2 8 Sand tonn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Others e tonn 42409 37109 53749 31243 0 0 0 Sillimanite e Vermiculit tonn 21890 7225 4790 2286 2190 750 2370 2303 1127 2736 e e Garnet tonn 11151 55583 51243 72521 0 0 0 0 0 0 (abrasive) e 3 Note: (P) - Data is Provisional