Lok Sabha Question No. 1777 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-27
Subject: Uranium Deposits
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1777

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2022

## URANIUM DEPOSITS

1777.  SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the uranium deposits available in the country at present in various plants especially in Rajasthan;
- (b) whether  the  National  Geophysical  Research  Institute    (NGRI)  has  identified potential area of uranium deposits in various States of the country particularly in the Sikar district of Rajasthan;
- (c) If so, the details thereof and the details of the estimated quantity of the uranium deposits  in  those  areas,  State-wise  particularly  in  Sikar  district  of  Rajasthan; and
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  extraction  of  uranium  from  the  said deposits and setting up of uranium treatment plant in the said States particularly in Rajasthan?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The  Atomic  Minerals  Directorate  for  Exploration  and  Research  (AMD),  a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has established a total of 3,82,675 tonne (t) in situ U3O8 in forty-seven (47) uranium deposits in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. The State - wise details of uranium deposits are given in Table -1.

In Rajasthan, AMD has established a total of 15,631t in-situ U3O8 in five (05) uranium deposits. Details of uranium deposits are given in Table - 1.

- (b) No Sir. AMD is carrying out exploration for uranium in the potential geological domains of the country. As part of the exploration programme, AMD outsources certain  quantum  of  heliborne  geophysical  surveys  to  National  Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), in addition to the coverage by AMD.
- (c) In view of Answer (b), the query does not arise.

Further, the estimated quantity of uranium in the deposits established by AMD state-wise, particularly in Sikar district, Rajasthan is given in Table - 1.

- (d) The reports of uranium deposits established by AMD are handed over to the Uranium  Corporation  of  India  Limited  (UCIL),  a  Public  Sector  Undertakingof DAE for mining. Mining technology and economics are important criteria which decide  the  exploitation  and  extraction  status  of  a  deposit  like  other  mineral deposits.

Pre-Project  activities  required  for  obtaining  statutory  clearances  have  been initiated by Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. As a part of this, State Govt. of Rajasthan has issued Letter of Intent (LOI) for granting of mining lease to UCIL.

Presently, the deposits at Jaduguda, Narwapahar, Bagjata, Bhatin, Banduhurang,  Turamdih  and  Mohuldih  in  Jharkhand  and  Tummalapalle  in Andhra Pradesh are under exploitation by UCIL.

********

Table -1:  State-wise details of the uranium resources

| State          | District               | Name of the deposit                | Resource (tonne)   | Status                              |
|----------------|------------------------|------------------------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------|
| State          | District               | Name of the deposit                | U 3 O 8            | Status                              |
| Andhra Pradesh | Kadapa                 | Tummalapalle Group                 | 2,25,879           | Existing mine (Under investigation) |
| Andhra Pradesh | Guntur                 | Koppunuru                          | 2,761              | Under investigation                 |
| Andhra Pradesh | Sub-total              | Sub-total                          | 2,28,640           |                                     |
| Telangana      | Nalgonda               | Lambapur                           | 1,450              | Planned mining centre               |
| Telangana      | Nalgonda               | Peddagattu                         | 7,585              | Planned mining centre               |
| Telangana      | Nalgonda               | Chitrial                           | 9,515              | Planned mining centre               |
| Telangana      | Sub-total              | Sub-total                          | 18,550             |                                     |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Jaduguda                           | 8,038              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Jaduguda North - Baglasai - Mechua | 7,555              | Under investigation                 |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Bhatin                             | 1,700              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Narwapahar (NWP) + NWP Extn.       | 11,780             | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Narwapahar Deeper                  | 10,723*            | Extension of existing mine          |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Singridungri-Banadungri            | 9,856*             | Under investigation                 |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Turamdih Group                     | 11,510             | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Banduhurang                        | 6,489              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Bagjata                            | 1,860              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Mohuldih                           | 3,330              | Existing mine                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Garadih                            | 1,270              | Small deposit                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Kanyaluka                          | 1,970              | Small deposit                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Nimdih                             | 815                | Small deposit                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Rajgaon                            | 1,200              | Small deposit                       |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Rajdah                             | 1,019              | Under investigation                 |
| Jharkhand      | East Singhbhum         | Kudada                             | 2,000              | Under investigation                 |
| Jharkhand      | Saraikela- Kharswan    | Bangurdih                          | 1,785              | Under investigation                 |
| Jharkhand      | Sub-total              | Sub-total                          | 82,900             |                                     |
| Meghalaya      | South West Khasi Hills | KPM (Domiasiat)                    | 9,500              | Planned mining centre               |
| Meghalaya      | South West Khasi Hills | Wahkyn - Wahkut                    | 9,764              | Exploratory mining planned          |
| Meghalaya      | South West Khasi Hills | Gomaghat-Phlangdiloin              | 1,000              | Small deposit                       |
| Meghalaya      | South West Khasi Hills | Tyrnai                             | 600                | Small deposit                       |
| Meghalaya      | South West Khasi Hills | Lostoin                            | 869                | Small deposit                       |
| Meghalaya      | South West Khasi Hills | Umthongkut                         | 1,535              | Small deposit                       |
| Meghalaya      | Sub-total              | Sub-total                          | 23,268             |                                     |

|               |              | Rohil              | 8,813    | Exploratory mining centre (Under investigation)   |
|---------------|--------------|--------------------|----------|---------------------------------------------------|
|               | Sikar        | Rohil (West)       | 1,086    | Under investigations                              |
|               |              | Jahaz              | 3,570    | Under investigation                               |
|               |              | Geratiyon Ki Dhani | 1,002    | Under investigations                              |
|               | Udaipur      | Umra               | 1,160    | Small deposit                                     |
|               | Sub-total    | Sub-total          | 15,631   |                                                   |
|               | Yadgir       | Gogi               | 4,267    | Exploratory mining centre                         |
|               | Yadgir       | Kanchankayi        | 2,194    | Under investigation                               |
|               | Yadgir       | Hulkal             | 800      | Under investigation                               |
|               | South Canara | Walkunji-Yellakki  | 415      | Small deposit                                     |
|               | Sub-total    | Sub-total          | 7,676    |                                                   |
|               | Rajnandgaon  | Bodal              | 1,530    | Small deposit                                     |
|               | Rajnandgaon  | Bhandaritola       | 518      | Small deposit                                     |
|               | Surguja      | Jajawal            | 1,438    | Small deposit                                     |
|               | Surguja      | Dumath - Dhabi     | 500      | Small deposit                                     |
|               | Sub-total    | Sub-total          | 3,986    |                                                   |
| Uttar Pradesh | Sonbhadra    | Naktu              | 785      | Under investigation                               |
| Uttar Pradesh | Sub-total    | Sub-total          | 785      |                                                   |
| Uttarakhand   | Rudraprayag  | Pokhri-Tunji       | 100      | Small deposit                                     |
| Uttarakhand   | Sub-total    | Sub-total          | 100      |                                                   |
|               | Una          | Rajpura            | 364      | Under investigation                               |
|               | Shimla       | Kasha-Kaladi       | 200      | Small deposit                                     |
|               | Mandi        | Tileli             | 220      | Small deposit                                     |
|               | Sub-total    | Sub-total          | 784      |                                                   |
| Maharashtra   | Gondia       | Mogarra            | 355      | Small deposit                                     |
| Maharashtra   | Sub-total    | Sub-total          | 355      |                                                   |
| Grand total   | Grand total  | Grand total        | 3,82,675 |                                                   |