Lok Sabha Question No. 293 (STARRED), answered on 2023-08-09
Subject: Rare Earth Minerals
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Beesetti  Venkata Satyavathi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*293

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2023.

## Rare Earth Minerals

## *293. DR. BEESETTI VENKATA SATYAVATHI:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps in terms of exploration and production of rare earth minerals, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (b) the details of India's import and domestically produced rare earth minerals?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (b)  A statement is placed on the Table of the House.

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## Government of India Department of Atomic Energy

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION No.  *293  DUE  FOR  ANSWER  ON  09.08.2023  BY  DR.  BEESETTI  VENKATA SATYAVATHI  REGARDING 'RARE EARTH MINERALS'.

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## (a) Yes, Sir.

## As regards Exploration:-

Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a Constituent Unit of  Department  of  Atomic  Energy  (DAE)  is  carrying  out  exploration  to  augment resources  of  Rare  Earth  Elements  (REE)  along  the  coastal  /  inland  /  riverine  placer sands  of  the  country  for  augmentation  of  Heavy  Minerals  resource,  which  includes monazite (a mineral of REE and thorium) and xenotime (a mineral of REE and yttrium) as well as in several potential geological domains (hard rocks) of the country.

As on date; Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research has established

- (i) 13.07  million  tonnes  in-situ  monazite  (containing  ~55-60%  total  Rare  Earth Elements oxide) resource occurring in the coastal beach placer sands in parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat and in the inland placers in parts of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
- (ii) 7,37,283  tonne  Rare  Earth  Elements  Oxide  (REO)  in  Ambadungar  area, Chhota Udepur district, Gujarat
- (iii) 36,945 tonnes REO in Bhatikhera area, Barmer district, Rajasthan.
- (iv) 2,000  tonne  of  heavy  mineral  concentrate  containing  ~2%  xenotime  (a phosphate mineral  of yttrium  and  rare  earth  elements)  in  the  riverine  placer deposits  of  Chhattisgarh  and  Jharkhand.  Presently,  AMD  is  carrying  out collection of xenotime bearing heavy mineral concentrate in the unit established  in  Chhattisgarh  and  has  a  stockpile  of  104.913  tonnes  xenotime bearing heavy mineral concentrate.

AMD  is  presently  carrying  out  survey  and  prospecting  operations  to  augment  rare earths  resources  in  hard  rock  terrains  in  Phulan  -  Bhatikhera  -  Nal  -  Magreshwar  Buriwara  -  Dantala  -  Gugrot  -  Dhiran-Kundal-Sela,  Barmer  district  in  Rajasthan; Aratiya - Ghantol - Ambadungar, Chhota Udepur district in Gujarat; Kunkuri - Mayali, Jashpur district in Chhattisgarh; Khadandungri-Purandungri - Kanyaluka - Khejurdari -

Jaduguda  -  Mohuldih,  East  Singhbhum  district  in  Jharkhand  and  Bhimsari,  Adilabad district,  Telangana.  Further,  AMD  is  carrying  out  exploration  to  identify  additional resources of monazite (a mineral of REE and thorium) in the beach sand deposits along coastal  tracts  in  parts  of  Kayamkulam  -  Harippad  -  Mannar,  Alappuzha  district  in Kerala; Nabha - Brahmapur, Puri district and parts of Bhadrak district in Odisha and Donkuru  -  Kaviti,  Srikakulam  district  and  Kummarapurugupalem,  West  Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.

## As regards Production:-

Yes sir, Government has taken adequate steps for production of rare earth minerals in India.  The source of rare earth mineral in India is radioactive, therefore IREL a PSU under  DAE  has  been  mandated  to  produce  rare  earth  minerals  in  India.  IREL  has established  mining,  beneficiation,  processing/  separation  and  extraction  capacity  & capabilities in the country.

- (b) As such no import of Rare Earth mineral is reported. The Indian source of rare earth mineral being radioactive, its import is regulated through licensing by the Government. Rare earth mineral viz. Monazite is available in lean content in Indian deposits i.e. BSM source. After mining and processing of ore, about 11000 tonnes of crude monazite is extracted, which is further beneficiated to produce 4100 tonnes of refined/high  pure  monazite  per  annum  to  make  it  compatible  as  industry  feed  for further value addition.

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