Lok Sabha Question No. 5289 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Geo-tagging to Prevent Illegal Mining
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Pradeep Purohit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5289

ANSWERED ON 02.04.2025

## GEO-TAGGING TO PREVENT ILLEGAL MINING

## 5289. SHRI PRADEEP PUROHIT:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is using geo-tagging or other geospatial technologies to monitor and prevent illegal mining in Odisha;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) the details of critical mineral reserves in Odisha;
- (d) whether the Geological Survey of India or other agencies have explored for critical minerals;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (f) the details of the allotted mines and the companies involved in the scam period; and
- (g) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to reduce the environmental impact of mining?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) to (b) The Government has begun use of Geo-spatial technologies such as GIS and Satellite imagery to monitor and prevent illegal mining activities. The Ministry of Mines has launched the Mining Surveillance System (MSS) in October 2016. It aims at developing a system for detection of incidence of illegal mining by use of space technology and surveillance of area up to 500m outside the lease boundary to check incidences of illegal mining. The MSS has been developed through Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) in collaboration with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)  and  Bhaskaracharya  Institute  for  Space  Applications  and  Geo-informatics (BISAG)  Gandhinagar.  Since,  the  inception  of  MSS  in  2016-17,  the  project  was implemented in major mineral rich states including in Odisha. The MSS analyzes land pattern  changes  within  a  500-meter  radius  of  mining  leases.  If  discrepancies  are detected, alerts are generated and sent to the respective State Government for ground verification.

(c) The details of Reserves of Critical minerals in the State of Odisha are furnished in Annexure I .

(d) to (e)  To enhance the exploration program for identifying potential mining sites in order to boost domestic production for the critical and strategic minerals, Geological Survey of India (GSI), in current year 2024-25, has taken up 195 mineral exploration projects for critical and strategic minerals across the country. Ministry has also focused on funding various projects of mineral exploration through National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET). So far, NMET has funded 72 projects for critical and strategic mineral exploration  during  FY  2024-25.   To  encourage  private  participation  in  exploration, Ministry  of  Mines  has  notified  32  private  exploration  agencies  (NPEAs).  These agencies are taking up exploration projects through funding from NMET.

(f)  to  (g)  The  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation)  Act,  1957  was amended in  2015  to  introduce  a  transparent  and  non-discriminatory  method  of  eauction  for  grant  of  mineral  concessions  in  respect  of  major  minerals.  So  far,  the Government of Odisha has auctioned 48 mineral blocks and the Central Government has auctioned 3 mineral blocks of critical and strategic minerals in Odisha.

Mineral  Conservation  and  Development  Rules  (MCDR),  2017  was  framed under  Section  18  of  MMDR  Act,  1957  for  the  mineral  conservation,  systematic development of minerals and protection of environment by preventing or controlling any pollution which may be caused by prospecting or mining operations. As per Rule 12(1) of MCDR (amendment) 2017, the prospecting and mining operations shall be carried  out  in  such  a  manner  so  as  to  ensure  systematic  development  of  mineral deposits, conservation of minerals and protection of the environment. Rule 35 to 44 under  Chapter  V  of  MCDR,  2017  is  provided  for  Sustainable  Mining.  Adequate emphasis has been given on Sustainable Development in Mining areas in the National Mineral Policy 2019. Further, to implement the Sustainable Development Framework (SDF), Ministry has evolved a system of Star Rating of Mines.

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Reserves/Resources  of  critical  minerals  for  the  state  of  Odisha  (As  on 01.04.2020)

|   S. No. | Mineral                         | Unit                    | Reserves   | Remaining Resources   | Total Resources   |
|----------|---------------------------------|-------------------------|------------|-----------------------|-------------------|
|        1 | Cobalt                          | Million tonnes          | 0          | 31                    | 31                |
|        2 | Graphite                        | Tonnes                  | 2838414    | 17142707              | 19981121          |
|        3 | Nickel                          | Million tonnes          | 0          | 175                   | 175               |
|        4 | Platinum Group of Metals (PGMs) | Tonnes of metal content | 0          | 14                    | 14                |
|        5 | Rare Earth Elements (REE)       | Tonnes                  | 0          | 25493                 | 25493             |
|        6 | Tin                             | Tin                     | Tin        | Tin                   | Tin               |
|        6 | Ore                             | Tonnes                  | 0          | 15618                 | 15618             |
|        6 | Metal                           |                         | 0          | 653                   | 653               |
|        7 | Titanium                        | Tonnes                  | 12654141   | 53019062              | 65673203          |
|        8 | Vanadium                        | Vanadium                | Vanadium   | Vanadium              | Vanadium          |
|        8 | Ore                             | Tonnes                  | 0          | 4864795               | 4864795           |
|        8 | Contained V 2 O 5               |                         | 0          | 13558                 | 13558             |
|        9 | Zircon                          | Tonnes                  | 476672     | 390247                | 866919            |
|       10 | Copper                          | Copper                  | Copper     | Copper                | Copper            |
|       10 | Ore                             | Thousand Tonnes         | 0          | 11991                 | 11991             |
|       10 | Metal                           | Thousand Tonnes         | 0          | 97                    | 97                |

Source: National Mineral Inventory, 2020.                           Figures rounded off