Lok Sabha Question No. 5520 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-06
Subject: Mineral Resources
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: George Baker

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5520 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 06 TH  APRIL, 2017

## MINERAL RESOURCES

## 5520.  SHRI GEORGE BAKER:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the under-sea mineral resources in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  or  propose  to  conduct  a  major  oceanic survey in the country's territorial waters to look for prospects of under-sea mineral resources across the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the results, State/UT-wise;
- (d) the details of the funds sanctioned, allocated and utilised for this since its inception, State/UT-wise; and
- (e) the details of the targets fixed and the achievements made thereon?

## A  N   S  W  E  R

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINES, POWER, COAL AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a):  Geological  Survey  of  India  [GSI],  an  attached  office  of  Ministry  of  Mines,  has identified Heavy Mineral Placers (Ilmenite, Monazite, Garnet, Zircon, Sillimanite, Rutile), construction sand, carbonate sand, lime mud, phosphorite, gas hydrate, iron manganese crust etc. along Exclusive Economic Zone [EEZ] & Territorial Waters [TW] off the coast of different States of the country. All minerals underlying the ocean within the TW and EEZ of the country vests in the Union.

The details of mineral resources estimated from TW are as follows:

|   S.No. | Location (off the coast of)         | Mineral                                                                         |   Resource [in million tonnes] |
|---------|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|       1 | Maharashtra                         | Ilmenite                                                                        |                           5.19 |
|       2 | Kerala and West coast of Tamil Nadu | Heavy Mineral Placers (Ilmenite, Monazite, Garnet, Zircon, Sillimanite, Rutile) |                          11.26 |
|       3 | Kerala                              | Construction Sand                                                               |                         936    |
|       4 | Andhra Pradesh                      | Heavy Mineral Placers (Ilmenite, Monazite, Garnet, Zircon, Sillimanite, Rutile) |                         115.69 |
|       5 | Odisha                              | Heavy Mineral Placers (Ilmenite, Monazite, Garnet, Zircon, Sillimanite, Rutile) |                          68    |

(b) & (c): GSI has mapped an area of 1,32,585 sq. km. of TW out of the total area of TW of about 1,50,000 sq. km. in 5 km x 2 km grid with its research vessels Samudra Shaudhikama and Samudra Kaustubh. These zones were further surveyed in detail by core  sampling  on  1km  x  1  km  /  500m  x  500m  for  evaluation  of  the  minerals.  The mineral resources estimated are up to a maximum depth of 4 m below seabed.

(d) & (e): The expenditure for the above surveys were met from the Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) allotted by the Central Government to GSI. The expenditure of Marine & Coastal Survey Division (M&CSD) during the last three years and the current year is given below.

| S. No.   | Financial Year   |   Expenditure (Rs.in Crores) |
|----------|------------------|------------------------------|
| 1        | 2013-14          |                        37.41 |
| 2        | 2014-15          |                        82.46 |
| 3        | 2015-16          |                        61.56 |
| 4        | 2016-17          |                        47.76 |
| Total    | Total            |                       229.19 |

The targets set for different components of marine surveys by GSI for FS. 201617 and achievement are as follows:

| Different Components of Marine Surveys        | Target for FS. 2016-17   | Achievement (till Feb 2017)   |
|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------------|
| 1. Bathymetric Survey [Line (l) km]           | 10,000                   | 15,247                        |
| 2. Magnetic (lkm)                             | 10,000                   | 8,207                         |
| 3. Swath Bathymetry (sq. km)                  | 42,000                   | 40,385                        |
| 4. Seismic Survey (lkm)                       | 5,000                    | 2,449                         |
| 5. Gravity (lkm)                              | 16,000                   | 14,306                        |
| 6. Sub bottom profiling (lkm)                 | 15,000                   | 13,835                        |
| 7. Systemetic coverage within TW+EEZ (sq. km) | 4,650                    | 4,935                         |

* * *