Lok Sabha Question No. 1788 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-13
Subject: Rare Earth Minerals
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: T.R.V.S. Ramesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK    SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  1788

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2023

## Rare Earth Minerals

## 1788.  SHRI T.R.V.S. RAMESH:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state that:

- (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 & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) Yes, Sir. 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. 11,20,201 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 incidental to prospecting operation in Chhattisgarh and has a stockpile of 107.313 tonnes xenotime bearing heavy mineral concentrate.

AMD is presently 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 Sattankulam - Kudraimoli, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts in Tamil Nadu; Nuagaon Brahmapur and parts of Mahanadi Delta region, Puri district in Odisha and Kapaskuddi Kaviti, Srikakulam district and KP Palem - Turputtalu, West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.

Further,  AMD  is  carrying  out  survey  and  prospecting  operations  to  augment  rare  earths resources in hard rock terrains in Phulan - Nal - Gugrot - Saiji Ki Beri - Rebariyon ki DhaniBuriwara - Dantala - Bhatikhera - Kuship, Barmer district in Rajasthan; Aratiya - Ghantol Ambadungar,  Chhota  Udepur  district  in  Gujarat;  Pakkanadu  -  Mulakadu  -  Idapadi  Sankaridurg, Salem district in  Tamil Nadu and Kanyaluka - Bhalki, East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand.

Further, the known source of rare earth mineral in India is radioactive. IREL(India) Limited (IREL)  a PSU under DAE has been mandated to produce rare earth minerals in India. IREL has been operating in three locations having the facility for integrated mining and processing of mineral sands and these leases as per Statutory clearances can produce upto 4100 tons of RE mineral (Monazite).  IREL  has  the  capacity  to  process  10000  tons  of  monazite  at  its facility in Odisha. IREL has been granted Letter of Intent (LoI) for three more deposits in different geographies to augment the balance requirement of RE mineral for IREL plant.

- (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. The domestic production of RE mineral (Monazite) is around 4100 tons as stated above.

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