Lok Sabha Question No. 4620 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-24
Subject: Uranium Reserves in India
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Prathap Simha, D. M. Kathir Anand

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4620

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.03.2021

## URANIUM RESERVES IN INDIA

4620.  SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA: SHRI D.M. KATHIR ANAND:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the total amount of uranium reserves in India, State-wise;
- (b) the measure being taken by the Government to  harness Thorium reserves in India; and
- (c) the measures put in place to avoid Nuclear disaster?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  PERSONNEL,  PUBLIC  GRIEVANCES  AND PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) The  total  amount  of  Uranium  reserves  in  India  as  on  February,  2021  is 3,50,438 tonne (t) in situ U3O8 (2,97,170t U).  State - wise details of uranium deposits are given in Table 1.
- (b) In India, thorium is available in Monazite, a Prescribed Substance as per the Atomic  Energy  Act  1962.  Monazite  is  found  in  association  with  suite  of  six other atomic minerals.

Development of technologies pertaining to utilisation  of thorium  has  been a part  of  ongoing  R  &  D  activities  in  Department  of  Atomic  Energy  so  that  a mature  technology  is  in  place,  well  before  the  beginning  of  the  large  scale deployment  of  the  thorium  based  reactors.  With  sustained  efforts  over  the years,  India  has  gained  experience  in  different  areas  of  thorium  fuel  cycle. Large scale thorium utilisation is contemplated after a few decades of large scale deployment of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs). In order to develop and demonstrate  technologies  for  thorium  based  fuel,  Advanced  Heavy  Water

Reactor  (AHWR)  has  been  designed  by Bhabha  Atomic  Research  Centre (BARC). It is also having advanced safety and passive engineered systems which  enhance  its  safety.  Efforts  are  currently  on  to  enlarge  the  present thorium  related  R&D  work  and  activities  to  a  bigger  scale  and  towards development  of  technologies  for  the  third  stage  of  our  nuclear  power programme.

- (c) Highest priority is accorded to safety in all aspects of nuclear power viz. siting, design,  construction,  commissioning,  and  operation  in  line  with  codes  and guides  of  Atomic  Energy  Regulatory  Board  (AERB).  State  of  the  art  safety measures  are  provided  to  ensure  safe  shutdown,  cooling  of  the  core  and robust  containment  to  prevent  release  of  radioactivity  in  all  situations.  All nuclear power plants are designed to withstand extreme natural events like earthquakes,  flooding,  storms,  tsunamis,  etc  likely  at  the  respective  sites. They  are  constructed  to  highest  safety  and  quality  standards  and  the operations are performed  adopting  well laid out procedures  by  highly qualified, trained and licensed personnel. The safety of nuclear power plants is continuously monitored and reviewed by the AERB.

In addition, emergency preparedness plans incorporating effective measures are also put in place for the unlikely event of an emergency.

*****

## Table -1 State-wise details of the Uranium resources

| State          | District            | Name of the deposit     | Resource (tonne)   | Resource (tonne)   | Status                              |
|----------------|---------------------|-------------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------|
| State          | District            | Name of the deposit     | U 3 O 8            | U                  | Status                              |
| Andhra Pradesh | Kadapa              | Tummalapalle Group      | 1,98,066           | 1,67,960           | Existing mine (Under investigation) |
| Andhra Pradesh | Guntur              | Koppunuru               | 2,761              | 2,341              | Under investigation                 |
| Andhra Pradesh | Sub-total           | Sub-total               | 2,00,827           | 1,70,301           |                                     |
| Telangana      | Nalgonda            | Lambapur                | 1,450              | 1,229              | Planned mining centre               |
| Telangana      | Nalgonda            | Peddagattu              | 7,585              | 6,432              | Planned mining centre               |
| Telangana      | Nalgonda            | Chitrial                | 9,515              | 8,069              | Under investigation                 |
| Telangana      | Sub-total           | Sub-total               | 18,550             | 15,730             |                                     |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Jaduguda                | 8,038              | 6,816              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Jaduguda North          | 6,810              | 5,775              | Under investigation                 |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Bhatin                  | 1,700              | 1,442              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Narwapahar (NWP) +      | 11,780             | 9,989              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Narwapahar Deeper       | 8,034              | 6,813              | Extension of existing mine          |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Turamdih Group          | 11,510             | 9,760              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Banduhurang             | 6,489              | 5,503              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Bagjata                 | 1,860              | 1,577              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Mohuldih                | 3,330              | 2,824              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Garadih                 | 1,270              | 1,077              | Small deposit                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Kanyaluka               | 1,970              | 1,670              | Small deposit                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Nimdih                  | 815                | 691                | Small deposit                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Rajgaon                 | 1,200              | 1,018              | Small deposit                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Singridungri-Banadungri | 12,575             | 10,664             | Under investigation                 |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum      | Rajdah                  | 1,019              | 864                | Under investigation                 |
| Jharkhand      | Saraikela- Kharswan | Bangurdih               | 1,785              | 1,514              | Under investigation                 |
|                | Sub-total           | Sub-total               | 80,185             | 67,997             |                                     |

|               |              | KPM (Domiasiat)       | 9,500   | 8,056   | Planned mining centre                            |
|---------------|--------------|-----------------------|---------|---------|--------------------------------------------------|
|               |              | Wahkyn - Wahkut       | 9,764   | 8,280   | Exploratory mining planned (Under investigation) |
|               | South West   | Gomaghat-Phlangdiloin | 1,000   | 848     | Small deposit                                    |
|               | Khasi Hills  | Tyrnai                | 600     | 509     | Small deposit                                    |
|               |              | Lostoin               | 869     | 737     | Small deposit                                    |
|               |              | Umthongkut            | 1,535   | 1,301   | Small deposit                                    |
|               | Sub-total    | Sub-total             | 23,268  | 19,731  |                                                  |
| Rajasthan     | Sikar        | Rohil                 | 8,610   | 7,301   | Exploratory mining centre (Under investigation)  |
|               |              | Rohil (West)          | 955     | 810     | Small deposit                                    |
|               |              | Jahaz                 | 3,570   | 3,027   | Under investigation                              |
|               | Udaipur      | Umra                  | 1,160   | 984     | Small deposit                                    |
|               | Sub-total    | Sub-total             | 14,295  | 12,122  |                                                  |
| Karnataka     | Yadgir       | Gogi                  | 4,267   | 3,618   | Exploratory mining centre                        |
| Karnataka     | Yadgir       | Kanchankayi - Hulkal  | 2,621   | 2,223   | Under investigation                              |
| Karnataka     | South Canara | Walkunji-Yellakki     | 415     | 352     | Small deposit                                    |
| Karnataka     | Sub-total    | Sub-total             | 7,303   | 6,193   |                                                  |
| Chhattisgarh  | Rajnandgaon  | Bodal                 | 1,530   | 1,297   | Small deposit                                    |
| Chhattisgarh  | Rajnandgaon  | Bhandaritola          | 518     | 439     | Small deposit                                    |
| Chhattisgarh  | Surguja      | Jajawal               | 1,438   | 1,219   | Small deposit                                    |
| Chhattisgarh  | Surguja      | Dumath - Dhabi        | 500     | 424     | Small deposit                                    |
|               | Sub-total    | Sub-total             | 3,986   | 3,379   |                                                  |
| Uttar Pradesh | Sonbhadra    | Naktu                 | 785     | 666     | Under investigation                              |
| Uttar Pradesh | Sub-total    | Sub-total             | 785     | 666     |                                                  |

| Uttarakhand      | Rudraprayag   | Pokhri-Tunji   | 100      | 85       | Small deposit       |
|------------------|---------------|----------------|----------|----------|---------------------|
|                  | Sub-total     | Sub-total      | 100      | 85       |                     |
| Himachal Pradesh | Una           | Rajpura        | 364      | 309      | Under investigation |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla        | Kasha-Kaladi   | 200      | 170      | Small deposit       |
| Himachal Pradesh | Mandi         | Tileli         | 220      | 186      | Small deposit       |
| Himachal Pradesh | Sub-total     | Sub-total      | 784      | 665      |                     |
| Maharashtra      | Gondia        | Mogarra        | 355      | 301      | Small deposit       |
| Maharashtra      | Sub-total     | Sub-total      | 355      | 301      |                     |
| Grand total      | Grand total   | Grand total    | 3,50,438 | 2,97,170 |                     |