Lok Sabha Question No. 958 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-26
Subject: Promotion of Mineral Industry
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 958

ANSWERED ON 26.07.2023

## PROMOTION OF MINERAL INDUSTRY

†958. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

- Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  formulate  an  action  plan  to  promote  the mineral industry by amending the mining policy; (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Rajasthan; (c)  whether the Government has undertaken any exploration/survey to find out the mineral  reserves  in  desert  areas  of  Churu,  Bikaner  and  in  hilly  areas  of  Ajmer, Udaipur, Jalore and Sirohi in Rajasthan; and (d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  location-wise  and  mineral-wise  and  the  quantum  of
- mineral reserves likely to be explored?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b): Ministry of Mines has announced the National Mineral Policy 2019 ('NMP 2019') in March, 2019 which replaced the National Mineral Policy 2008. Subsequently, the  Mines and  Minerals  (Development  and Regulation) Act  (MMDR Act) 1957 was amended in the years 2020 and 2021. The objectives of Mineral Laws  (Amendment)  Act, 2020 is to allow State Governments to take advance action for auction of mineral blocks before the expiry of  lease  period  and to allow transfer of statutory clearances, permissions etc. to a new lessee facilitate seamless continuity of mining operations. Further, the MMDR Amendment Act, 2021 inter alia provides for increasing mineral production and time bound  operationalization  of  mines,  increasing  employment  and  investment  in  the mining  sector,  maintaining  continuity  in  mining  operations  after  change  of  lessee, increasing  the  pace  of  exploration  and  auction  of  mineral  resources  and  resolving long pending issues that have slowed the growth of the sector. Further, amendments to MMDR Act to increase exploration of minerals & mining of critical minerals is also proposed.  These  reforms  will  ensure  self-sufficiency  in  mineral  requirement  of  the country. (c)  &  (d):  As  per  the  information  received  from  the  Geological  Survey  of  India,  an attached  office  of  Ministry  of  Mines,  Geological  Memorandum  handed  over  to  the

- State Government of Rajasthan since 2015 are at Annexure-1.

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Details of (G2 level) Geological Memorandums  handed over to the State Government of Rajasthan

|   S No | District   | Name of the block   | Commodity   | Stage of exploration   | Resources (in MT)                                                   | Field Season Program Year   |
|--------|------------|---------------------|-------------|------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|      1 | Udaipur    | Ladan Diggi Block   | Basemetal   | G2                     | 1.20 million tonnes of copper resources with 0.60% average Cu grade | 2019-20                     |

Details of (G4 level) Geological Memorandums  handed over to the State Government of Rajasthan

|   Sl No | State District                 | Title of the report                                                                                                                                                            | FS year    | Commodity             |
|---------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|-----------------------|
|       1 | RajasthanChuru                 | Report on Potash Investigation in North- Western Rajasthan, Vol. 1                                                                                                             | 1974- 1991 | Potash                |
|       2 | RajasthanUdaipur               | Reconnaissance survey for copper mineralisation in Ladana Extension area, Udaipur district, Rajasthan.                                                                         | 2017- 18   | Basemetal copper      |
|       3 | RajasthanAjmer                 | Reconnaissance survey for base metal and associated mineralization in Deolia block, Bhilwara and Ajmer Districts, Rajasthan. 20                                                | 2019-      | Basemetal             |
|       4 | RajasthanSirohi                | Reconnaissance survey forW and associated rare metals mineralization in south of Udwaria, Sirohi District, Rajasthan.                                                          | 2019- 20   | Tungsten, REE & RM    |
|       5 | RajasthanUdaipur and Dungarpur | Reconnaissance survey for Ni and associated PGE mineralization in Dewal- Khanmin- Wagdari area of Rikhabdev ultramafic rocks, Udaipur and Dungarpur district, Rajasthan.       | 2019- 20   | Ni and PGE            |
|       6 | RajasthanUdaipur and Dungarpur | Reconnaissance survey for Ni and associated PGE mineralization in Rikhabdev ultramafic rocks of Rohanwara-Matugamra- Amarpura area, Udaipur and Dungarpur district, Rajasthan. | 2018- 19   | Ni and PGE            |
|       7 | RajasthanUdaipur and Dungarpur | Reconnaissance survey for Ni and associated PGE mineralization in Rikhabdev Ultramafic rocks of Rohanwara-Matugamra-Amarpura                                                   | 2018- 19   | Ni and associated PGE |
|       8 | RajasthanUdaipur and Dungarpur | area, Udaipur and Dungarpur districts, Rajasthan.                                                                                                                              | 2018- 19   | Ni and associated PGE |
|       9 | RajasthanUdaipur               | Geological Memorandum on Base metal, LadanaBlock, UdaipurDistricts, Rajasthan.                                                                                                 | 2020- 21   | Base metal copper     |
|      10 | RajasthanUdaipur               | Reconnaissance survey for copper, gold and iron mineralization in Padla-Chawand-Sarara area of Udaipur district, Rajasthan.                                                    | 2016- 17   | Base metal            |
|      11 | RajasthanUdaipur               | Reconnaissance survey for copper mineralization in parts of Phalet area, Udaipur district, Rajasthan.                                                                          | 2020- 21   | Base metal            |

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