Lok Sabha Question No. 1316 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-14
Subject: Exploration of Minerals
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Alok Kumar Suman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1316

ANSWERED ON 14.12.2022

## EXPLORATION OF MINERALS

## 1316.   DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the exploration agencies like Geological Survey of India (GSI), Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, State Directorates of Geology and Mining, State or Central  Undertakings and private sector companies are engaged in exploration of mineral deposits in the country;
- (b) if so, the results thereof;
- (c) whether it is a fact that Bihar is endowed with 222.885 million tonnes (44 percent) of mineral deposits of gold ore containing 37.6 tonnes of metal;
- (d) if so, the details of the measures taken by the Government to extract gold from the reserves of gold ore in Bihar;
- (e) whether it is a fact that other districts of Bihar have also reserves of gold ore and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether the Government has specified stipulated timeframe to engage in extraction works in Bihar for this gold ore and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINES, COAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a) & (b): Yes, Sir. Geological Survey of India (GSI), an attached office of Ministry of Mines, carries out exploration of minerals in the country.  The details of resource augmented by GSI for major mineral commodities, since amendment of Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act in 2015 are given in Annexure-I.

Similarly,  other  exploration  agencies  like  Atomic  Minerals  Directorate  for  Exploration  and Research, State Directorates of Geology and Mining, State or Central Undertaking and private sector companies are also engaged in exploration of various mineral deposits in the country.

- (c): No, Sir. As per National Mineral Inventory (NMI), the resources of gold ore in Bihar, as on 01.04.2020, fall under 'Remaining Resources' Category, not 'Reserves' Category. The gold ore resources estimated in Bihar are Reconnaissance (334) resources of 94 million tonnes containing 16 tonnes of gold and Inferred (333) resources of 128.88 million tonnes containing 21.6 tonnes of gold respectively. No resources of gold ore in Bihar are categorised under 'Reserve' category.  The entire gold ore resource is reported in Sono area of Jamui District by Directorate of Geology and Mining, Bihar.
- (d) to (f): In view of (c) above, question does not arise.

*****

Annexure-I

The major mineral commodity wise resource augmentation done by GSI pan India  since MMDR Act, 2015:

Resource in million tonnes

|   Sl. No. | Commodity              |   Resource |
|-----------|------------------------|------------|
|         1 | Iron ore               |     1470.2 |
|         2 | Manganese ore          |       21   |
|         3 | Gold ore               |        8.9 |
|         4 | Copper ore             |      182.1 |
|         5 | Lead-Zinc Ore          |        7.3 |
|         6 | Glauconitic ore/Potash |      764.1 |
|         7 | REE ore                |      114.1 |
|         8 | Gallium ore            |       32.6 |
|         9 | Graphite ore           |       20.1 |
|        10 | Bauxite ore            |       76.6 |
|        11 | Limestone              |    14307.7 |
|        12 | Coal                   |    16615.4 |
|        13 | Lignite                |     1343.5 |