Lok Sabha Question No. 725 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Rare Earth Elements Reserves in Rajasthan
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Dushyant Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.725

ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## RARE EARTH ELEMENTS RESERVES IN RAJASTHAN

## 725. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of availability and identified reserves of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in Rajasthan  including  areas  where  reconnaissance,  preliminary  or  advanced-stage exploration has been undertaken by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) district-wise;
- (b) the details of REE-bearing mineral blocks auctioned in Rajasthan during the last three years, indicating the district, mineral commodity and stage of exploration at the time of auction along with the present status of development; and
- (c) the details of the steps being taken under the National Critical Mineral Mission to align REE exploration and auctions in Rajasthan with regional industrial development initiatives including mineral-based manufacturing clusters and industrial corridors to promote  domestic  value  addition  for  strategic  sectors  such  as  clean  energy, electronics and defence manufacturing?

## ANSWER

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

- (a):  The  Geological  Survey  of  India  (GSI)  has  established  83.59  million  tonnes resource of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in Balotra and Sikar districts of Rajasthan since the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulations (MMDR) Amendment Act,  2015.   The  area-wise  and  district-wise  details  of  resource  augmented  by  GSI along with the stages of exploration are given at Annexure-I.

Further, as per National Mineral Inventory (NMI) as on 01.04.2025, the district-wise details of reserves/resources of REEs in Rajasthan is given in Annexure-II.

- (b): The details of the REE-bearing mineral blocks auctioned in Rajasthan during the last three years are as follows:

|   Sl. No. | Name of Block                                          | Type of Licence   | District            | Mineral   | Stage of exploration at the time of auction   | Status                                                                   |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|---------------------|-----------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Southeast of Gugrot REE and Nb Block Composite Licence |                   | Balotra REE Niobium | &         | G3                                            | Auctioned in the 6 th Tranche of the critical mineral auction as per NIT |

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|   2 | Bhatikhera REE Niobium and Zirconium Block   | Mining Licence      | REE, Niobium & Zirconium G2   | dated 16.09.2025. Preferred Bidder has been declared                                                                                               |
|-----|----------------------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   3 | Nawatala- Devigarh REE Exploration Block     | Exploration Licence | REE Baseline Geological data  | Auctioned under 1 st Tranche of Exploration Licence as per NIT dated 13.03.2025. Letter of Intent issued by Government of Rajasthan on 16.10.2025. |

(c):  The  National  Critical  Mineral  Mission  provides  an  overarching  framework  to align critical  mineral  exploration  and  auctions  with  downstream  value-chain development  across  the  country,  including  processing  and  manufacturing,  in coordination with States and industry. The outcomes of REE exploration, auctions and subsequent production in Rajasthan provide a basis for setting up downstream processing and mineral-based manufacturing, thereby supporting domestic value addition  for  strategic  sectors  such  as  clean  energy,  electronics  and  defence manufacturing.

*****

## Annexure-I

## Details of resource for REEs augmented by GSI in Rajasthan since MMDR Amendment Act, 2015

(Unit in million tonnes)

| Sl. No.   | Field Season   | Area/ Block                | DistrictCommodity                 | UNFC Stage   |   Resource |
|-----------|----------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------|--------------|------------|
| 1         | 2021-23        | WNW of Sukleswar ka Mandir | REE, Niobium, Hafnium, Zirconium  | G3           |       0.17 |
| 2         | 2022-23        | Kalaur Ka Danta            | REE, Niobium- Tantalum            | G3           |       2.55 |
| 3         | 2022-23        | South-east of Gugrot       | Balotra REE, Niobium- Tantalum    | G3           |       1.36 |
| 4         | 2022-23        | South-east of Mawri        | REE, Niobium- Tantalum, Zirconium | G3           |       4.45 |
| 5         | 2022-23        | South of Guranal           | REE, Niobium                      | G3           |       0.98 |
| 6         | 2022-23        | North of Kalaur ka Danta   | REE, Niobium, Zirconium, Rubidium | G3           |      46.83 |
| 7         | 2022-23        | Ladi Ka Bas                | Sikar REE                         | G3           |       1.73 |
| 8         | 2023-24        | East of Gugrot             | Balotra REE                       | G3           |      25.52 |
| TOTAL     | TOTAL          | TOTAL                      | TOTAL                             | TOTAL        |      83.59 |

## Annexure-II

District  wise  Reserves/Resources  of  Rare  Earth  Elements  (REEs)  in  the  State  of Rajasthan as on 01.04.2025 (Provisional) as per National Mineral Inventory (NMI)

## (Unit: in million tonnes)

| Sl. No.   | District   | Reserve   |   Remaining Resource |   Total Resource |
|-----------|------------|-----------|----------------------|------------------|
| 1         | Sikar      | -         |                 1.73 |             1.73 |
| 2         | Balotra    | -         |                81.86 |            81.86 |
|           | Total      | -         |                83.59 |            83.59 |