Lok Sabha Question No. 4503 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Exploration of REEs and Critical Minerals
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Dushyant Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.4503

ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025

## EXPLORATION OF REEs AND CRITICAL MINERALS

4503. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the steps taken by the Government to carry out exploration of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Critical Minerals in different parts of the country along with the State-wise breakdown of the reserves discovered so far;
- (b) the details of the challenges faced by Private Sector entities in exploration, mining and research & development of the Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals along with the measures taken by the Government to promote their greater involvement in these sectors; and
- (c) the details of steps envisaged by the Government to mitigate the challenges faced by the Indian EV sector including but not limited to efforts such as diversification of import sources and acceleration of research and development in EV components and battery  technologies  in  light  of  the  recent  export  restrictions  on  REEs  and  Critical Minerals by China?

## ANSWER

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

(a):        The  Geological  Survey  of  India  (GSI),  an  attached  office  of  the  Ministry  of Mines, has prioritized and intensified the exploration of critical and strategic minerals. GSI  carried  out  628  mineral  exploration  projects  on  various  critical  and  strategic minerals  including  261  projects  exclusively  targeting  Rare  Earth  Elements  (REEs) from field seasons 2020-21 to 2024-25. In the field season 2025-26, GSI has taken up 230  mineral  exploration  projects  for  critical  minerals  specified  in  Part  D  of  First Schedule to the MMDR Amendment Act, 2023, of which 94 projects are focused on the exploration of REEs.

Further, the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), Ministry of Mines also provides funding support to Notified Exploration Agencies and Notified Private  Exploration  Agencies to boost domestic availability of critical minerals in the country. So far, 196 projects on critical and strategic minerals amounting to Rs 575 crores has been sanctioned by NMET.

The State-wise details of critical mineral reserves and resources in the country are at Annexure.

(b):      There are 24 critical minerals listed in the new Part-D of the First Schedule of the  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation)  Act,  1957  which  includes Lithium,  Nickel,  Tungsten,  Titanium,  Graphite,  etc.  These  minerals  have  been specified as critical and strategic minerals because of concentration of production and supply in limited geographies around the world. These minerals are difficult to explore and  mine  as  compared  to  surfacial  or  bulk  minerals.  The  Central  Government  is empowered to auction blocks  of  these minerals.  Till  date,  34  critical  and  strategic mineral blocks have been successfully auctioned by the Central Government.

In order to encourage private sector participation and investment in exploration of  29  critical  and  deep-seated  minerals  specified  in  the  Seventh  Schedule  of  the MMDR Amendment Act, 2023, a new mining concession called Exploration Licence has  been  introduced  which  is  given  through  auction.  A  holder  of  the  Exploration Licence invests in exploration in licenced area and is eligible for revenue share from the mine(s) which have been explored by the Exploration Licence holder when these mine(s) start production and dispatch of minerals.

Further, the Ministry of Mines has also notified 33 private exploration agencies for taking up exploration projects through funding from National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET).

The incentives given through NMET to encourage participation by private sector in mineral exploration of critical and deep-seated minerals are as follows:

- (i) 100% funding for mineral exploration projects of  Notified  Private  Exploration  Agencies.
- (ii)  Support  for  holders  of Exploration  Licenses and   Composite  Licenses by   reimbursing  exploration   expenses   upto  50%   of   the  total   expenditure incurred.
- (iii) Exploration incentive of 25% of the approved projects cost of the G4 items for critical, strategic and deep-seated minerals to the exploration agencies if the block is successfully auctioned or upgraded to G3 stage.

The Government has also launched National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in  January,  2025  with  an  aim  to  secure  a  long-term  sustainable  supply  of  critical minerals  and  strengthen  country's  critical  mineral  value  chains  encompassing  all stages from mineral exploration and mining to beneficiation, processing and recovery from end-of-life products. The Ministry of Mines under its S&T programme also funds Research and Development projects in critical and strategic minerals processing.

- (c):      As per the information available with the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), the Government  is  promoting  new  technologies  and  spending  on  Research  and Development (R&D) related to EVs through the following :
1. The expenditure incurred on Engineering R&D and product design & development is allowed to be considered as part of Eligible Investment under PLI-Auto, PLI ACC and SPMEPCI schemes.
2. Under the Capital Goods scheme of MHI, up to 80% of the cost of R&D projects including those on EVs is supported. These projects are housed in leading academic institutes like IITs, IISc., etc. The balance 20% is borne by the industry partners.
3. Centres of excellence have been set up for development of niche technologies not available in India, including technologies related to EVs.
4.  An  amount  of  Rs.780  crore  is  allocated  under  PM  E-DRIVE  for  upgradation  of testing agencies especially for EV related testing. This will also facilitate EV related R&D efforts of the automotive industry.
5. Further, the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, an autonomous R&D centre under Department of Science and Technology (DST), has developed several advanced battery technologies viz. development of materials for Lithium and Sodium ion and Lithium Sulphur  (LiS)  batteries;  Fabrication  and  validation  of  cylindrical  and  pouch  cells, development  of  cost-effective  and  high-performance  composite  PCMS  for  battery thermal  management  systems  in  EV  Applications,  development  of  Aluminium-ion Battery as alternative to LIBs in EV and ESS applications, development of Hybridmodels for  accelerated  service  life  predication  of  LIBs  and  other  battery  systems, development of Eco-friendly process (wet & dry) for battery electrode fabrications, development of a scalable method for tuning the internal pore structure and porosity of a metal or alloy for thermal energy absorption, storage, and conversion applications.

*****

Annexure The State-wise details of critical mineral reserves and resources in the country

9

5

| Critical mineral reserves as per NMI as on 01.04.2020   | Critical mineral reserves as per NMI as on 01.04.2020   | Critical mineral reserves as per NMI as on 01.04.2020   | Critical mineral reserves as per NMI as on 01.04.2020   | Critical mineral reserves as per NMI as on 01.04.2020   | Critical mineral reserves as per NMI as on 01.04.2020   | Critical mineral reserves as per NMI as on 01.04.2020   |
|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr. No.                                                 | Mineral                                                 | State                                                   | Unit                                                    | Reserves                                                | Remaining Resources                                     | Total Resources                                         |
| 1                                                       | COBALT                                                  | Jharkhand                                               | Million tonnes                                          | 0                                                       | 9                                                       | 9                                                       |
| 1                                                       | COBALT                                                  | Nagaland                                                | Million tonnes                                          | 0                                                       | 5                                                       | 5                                                       |
| 1                                                       | COBALT                                                  | Odisha                                                  | Million tonnes                                          | 0                                                       | 31                                                      | 31                                                      |
| 1                                                       | COBALT                                                  | ALL INIDA                                               | Million tonnes                                          | 0                                                       | 45                                                      | 45                                                      |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Andhra Pradesh                                          | Tonnes                                                  | 0                                                       | 1138275                                                 | 1138275                                                 |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Arunachal Pradesh                                       |                                                         | 0                                                       | 76318257                                                | 76318257                                                |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Chhattisgarh                                            |                                                         | 5282                                                    | 1330                                                    | 6612                                                    |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Gujarat                                                 |                                                         | 0                                                       | 3355805                                                 | 3355805                                                 |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Jammu & Kashmir                                         |                                                         | 0                                                       | 62740555                                                | 62740555                                                |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Jharkhand                                               |                                                         | 2604079                                                 | 1740228820006366.98                                     | 1740228820006366.98                                     |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Karnataka                                               |                                                         | 0                                                       | 992632                                                  | 992632                                                  |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Kerala                                                  |                                                         | 15443                                                   | 1419532                                                 | 1434975                                                 |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Madhya Pradesh                                          |                                                         | 0                                                       | 12640000                                                | 12640000                                                |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Maharashtra                                             |                                                         | 0                                                       | 1160000                                                 | 1160000                                                 |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Odisha                                                  |                                                         | 2838414                                                 | 17142707                                                | 19981121                                                |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Rajasthan                                               |                                                         | 0                                                       | 1913554                                                 | 1913554                                                 |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Tamil Nadu                                              |                                                         | 3100193                                                 | 6605086                                                 | 9705279                                                 |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Telangana                                               |                                                         | 0                                                       | 219455                                                  | 219455                                                  |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | Uttarakhand                                             |                                                         | 0                                                       | 10700                                                   | 10700                                                   |
| 2                                                       | GRAPHITE                                                | ALL INIDA                                               |                                                         | 8563411203060176.3                                      |                                                         | 211623587                                               |
| 3                                                       | MOLYBDENUM                                              | Karnataka                                               | Tonnes                                                  |                                                         |                                                         |                                                         |
| 3                                                       | MOLYBDENUM                                              | Ore                                                     | Tonnes                                                  | 0                                                       | 1320900                                                 | 1320900                                                 |
| 3                                                       | MOLYBDENUM                                              | Contained MoS2                                          | Tonnes                                                  | 0                                                       | 1718.7                                                  | 1718.7                                                  |
| 3                                                       | MOLYBDENUM                                              | Madhya                                                  | Tonnes                                                  |                                                         |                                                         |                                                         |
| 3                                                       | MOLYBDENUM                                              | Pradesh Ore                                             | Tonnes                                                  | 0                                                       | 8000000                                                 | 8000000                                                 |
| 3                                                       | MOLYBDENUM                                              | Contained MoS2                                          | Tonnes                                                  | 0                                                       | 5020                                                    | 5020                                                    |

|    | Tamil Nadu              |                         |                                | 17882498   | 17882498      |
|----|-------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------------|------------|---------------|
|    | Ore Contained MoS2      |                         | 0 0                            | 10151.86   | 10151.86      |
|    | ALL INIDA               |                         | 0                              | 27203398   | 27203398      |
|    | Ore Contained           |                         |                                | 16890.56   | 16890.56      |
|    | MoS2                    |                         | 0                              |            |               |
| 4  | Jharkhand               | Million                 | 0                              | 9          | 9             |
|    | Karnataka               | tonnes                  | 0                              | **         | **            |
|    | Nagaland                |                         | 0                              | 5          | 5             |
|    | Odisha                  |                         | 0                              | 175        | 175           |
|    | ALL                     |                         | 0                              | 189        | 189           |
|    | INIDA                   |                         |                                |            |               |
|    | Gujarat                 | Tonnes                  | 0                              | 314820     | 314820        |
| 5  | Madhya Pradesh          |                         | 9031093                        | 49425938   | 58457031      |
|    | Meghalaya               |                         | 0                              | 1311035    | 1311035       |
|    | Rajasthan               |                         | 21845000                       | 72003769   | 93848769      |
|    | Uttar Pradesh           |                         | 0                              | 25773444   | 25773444      |
|    | Uttarakhand             |                         | 0                              | 24178386   | 24178386      |
|    | ALL INIDA               |                         | 30876093280377391.6311253484.6 |            |               |
| 6  | Karnataka Kerala Odisha | Tonnes of metal content | 0 1.5 0 0                      | 0.18 14.2  | 1.5 0.18 14.2 |
|    | Tamilnadu               |                         | 0                              | 1.69       | 1.69          |
|    | Uttar Pradesh           |                         | 0 3.35 0                       |            | 3.35          |
|    | ALL INIDA               |                         |                                | 20.92      | 20.92         |
|    |                         | Million                 | 0                              | 230        | 230           |
| 7  | Bihar Jharkhand Madhya  | tonnes                  | 0 0 1244                       | 152        | 152 1244      |
|    | Pradesh Rajasthan       |                         | 0                              | 20572      | 20572         |
|    | Uttar Pradesh           |                         | 0                              | 893        | 893           |
|    | ALL                     |                         | 0                              | 23091      | 23091         |
|    | INIDA                   |                         |                                |            |               |

| 8   | RARE EARTH     | Bihar          | Tonnes   | 0          | 1459                             | 1459      |
|-----|----------------|----------------|----------|------------|----------------------------------|-----------|
|     | ELEMENTS (REE) | Gujarat        |          | 0          | 424000                           | 424000    |
|     |                | Jharkhand      |          | 0          | 4                                | 4         |
|     |                | Karnataka      |          | 0          | 3734                             | 3734      |
|     |                | Maharashtra    |          | 0          | 2090                             | 2090      |
|     |                | Odisha         |          | 0          | 25493                            | 25493     |
|     |                | Uttar Pradesh  |          | 0          | 2948                             | 2948      |
|     |                | ALL INIDA      |          | 0          | 459727                           | 459727    |
| 9   | TIN            | Chhattisgarh   | Tonnes   |            |                                  |           |
|     |                | Ore            |          | 2101       | 29795176                         | 29797277  |
|     |                | Metal          |          | 973.99     | 15909.58                         | 16883.57  |
|     |                | Haryana        |          |            |                                  |           |
|     |                | Ore            |          | 0          | 53910000                         | 53910000  |
|     |                | Metal          |          | 0          | 86220.6                          | 86220.6   |
|     |                | Odisha         |          |            |                                  |           |
|     |                | Ore            |          | 0          | 15618                            | 15618     |
|     |                | Metal          |          | 0          | 652.73                           | 652.73    |
|     |                | ALL INIDA      |          |            |                                  |           |
|     |                | Ore            |          | 2101       | 83720794                         | 83722895  |
|     |                | Metal          |          | 973.99     | 102782.91                        | 103756.9  |
| 10  | TITANIUM       | Andhra Pradesh | Tonnes   | 0          | 76733874                         | 76733874  |
|     |                | Jharkhand      |          | 0          | 26603767                         | 26603767  |
|     |                | Karnataka      |          | 0          | 13862094                         | 13862094  |
|     |                | Kerala         |          | 2370712    | 117607659                        | 119978371 |
|     |                | Maharashtra    |          | 303551     | 3980786                          | 4284337   |
|     |                | Meghalaya      |          | 0          | 3345000                          | 3345000   |
|     |                | Odisha         |          | 12654140.6 | 53019062                         | 65673202  |
|     |                | Tamil Nadu     |          | 670221     | 113677284                        | 114347505 |
|     |                | West Bengal    |          | 0          | 2279000                          | 2279000   |
|     |                | ALL INIDA      |          |            | 15998624.6411108525.7427107150.3 |           |
| 11  | TUNGSTEN       | Andhra Pradesh | Tonnes   |            |                                  |           |
|     |                | Ore            |          | 0          | 14802300                         | 14802300  |
|     |                | Contained WO3  |          | 0          | 20262.57                         | 20262.57  |
|     |                | Haryana        |          |            |                                  |           |
|     |                | Ore            |          | 0          | 2230000                          | 2230000   |

|    | Contained WO3   |        | 0   | 3568      | 3568      |
|----|-----------------|--------|-----|-----------|-----------|
|    | Karnataka       |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 36677818  | 36677818  |
|    | Contained WO3   |        | 0   | 6235      | 6235      |
|    | Maharashtra     |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 10122250  | 10122250  |
|    | Contained WO3   |        | 0   | 18590.72  | 18590.72  |
|    | Rajasthan       |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 23928294  | 23928294  |
|    | Contained WO3   |        | 0   | 93707.94  | 93707.94  |
|    | Tamil Nadu      |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 250000    | 250000    |
|    | Contained WO3   |        | 0   | 50        | 50        |
|    | Uttarakhand     |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 658000    | 658000    |
|    | Contained WO3   |        | 0   | 705       | 705       |
|    | West Bengal     |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 763802    | 763802    |
|    | Contained WO3   |        | 0   | 1530.84   | 1530.84   |
|    | ALL INIDA       |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 89432464  | 89432464  |
|    | Contained WO3   |        | 0   | 144650.07 | 144650.07 |
| 12 | Karnataka       | Tonnes |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 19384430  | 19384430  |
|    | Contained V2O5  |        | 0   | 49497.55  | 49497.55  |
|    | Maharashtra     |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 384630    | 384630    |
|    | Contained V2O5  |        | 0   | 1538.52   | 1538.52   |
|    | Odisha          |        |     |           |           |
|    | Ore             |        | 0   | 4864795   | 4864795   |
|    | Contained V2O5  |        | 0   | 13557.94  | 13557.94  |
|    | ALL INIDA       |        |     |           |           |

|    |        | Ore            |        |      0 |         24633855 |         24633855 |
|----|--------|----------------|--------|--------|------------------|------------------|
|    |        | Contained V2O5 |        |      0 |  64594           |  64594           |
| 13 | ZIRCON | Kerala         | Tonnes | 156509 |      1.24036e+06 |      1.39686e+06 |
|    |        | Odisha         |        | 476672 | 390247           | 866919           |
|    |        | Tamil Nadu     |        |  36285 |  43833           |  80118           |
|    |        | ALL INIDA      |        | 669466 |      1.67444e+06 |      2.3439e+06  |

Note : ** negligible, * contains glauconite, polyhalite and sylvite figures rounded off