Lok Sabha Question No. 3305 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-10
Subject: Survey on Offshore Mineral Resources
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: S. RAJENDRAN

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF MINES**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3305**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10** **th** **AUGUST, 2015**

**SURVEY ON OFFSHORE MINERAL RESOURCES**

**3305. 	SHRI S. RAJENDRAN:**

Will the Minister of **MINES** be pleased to state:

1. whether the Government has made any survey/study to assess the offshore mineral resources in the country;
2. if so, the details thereof, mineral and State/UT-wise;
3. whether any parametric survey has been carried out (magnetic and bathymetric) on board in this regard; and
4. if so, the details thereof, mineral and State/UT-wise

**A  N   S  W  E  R**

**MINISTER FOR MINES AND STEEL**

**(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)**

1. Yes, Madam. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) carries out surveys in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Territorial Water (TW) of India to assess the offshore mineral resources.
2. In the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), GSI has carried out 3,95,590 line km of bathymetric, 4,16,992 sq. km of multibeam bathymetric and 2,24,010 line km of magnetic surveys. It has also done 28,911 line km of gravity survey and 26,050 line km of sub-bottom profiling in the EEZ. In the TW, GSI has carried out about 68,572 line km bathymetric, 2867 sq. km of multibeam bathymetric and 26,757 line km of magnetic surveys. It has also done 49,057 line km of shallow seismic survey and 7249 line km of sub-bottom profiling in the TW. GSI has done preliminary assessment of the following offshore minerals within the TW as well as EEZ of India:

1. Heavy mineral placer deposits within the TW of India. A total 62 Blocks of 5 minutes by 5 minutes size have been identified in the offshore areas of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
2. Silica sand within the TW off the Kerala coast.
3. Lime mud within the EEZ off the Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh coast.
4. Phosphatic sediments within EEZ off the Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts.
5. Calcareous sand within EEZ and TW off the Lakshadweep coast.
6. Manganese encrustations/ micro nodules within EEZ off the Lakshadweep coast.

1. Yes. Parametric Survey (magnetic and bathymetric) has been carried out by GSI.
2. The details of parametric survey (magnetic and bathymetric) are given State/UT and mineral wise in the Annexure.

*************

**Annexure**

(Lok Sabha admitted Unstarred Question No.3305 asked by Shri S. Rajendran regarding “Survey on Offshore Mineral Resources” for answer on 10/08/2015.)

**Details of Parametric Survey (Magnetic and Bathymetric) done by GSI**

| **Sl No**   | **State/UT**                               | **Domain**  **(TW/EEZ)**   | **Bathymetry**            | **Magnetic**                                                               |
|-------------|--------------------------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **I**       | **Heavy Mineral**                          |                            |                           |                                                                            |
| 1           | Maharashtra offshore                       | TW                         | At 5 km spaced transects  | Not done                                                                   |
| 2           | Kerala & Tamil Nadu (West Coast) offshore  | TW                         | At 5 km spaced transects  | At 5 km spaced transects                                                   |
| 3           | Odisha offshore                            | TW                         | At 5 km spaced transects  | Northern part off Chilka Lake covered by Magnetic surveys at 5 km spacing. |
| 4           | Andhra Pradesh offshore                    | TW                         | At 5 km spaced transects  | Not done                                                                   |
| **II**      | **Silica Sand**                            |                            |                           |                                                                            |
| 1           | Kerala offshore                            | TW                         | At 5 km spaced transects  | Only part of the area covered                                              |
| **III**     | **Lime mud**                               |                            |                           |                                                                            |
| 1           | Gujarat offshore                           | EEZ                        | At 20 km spaced transects | At 20 km spaced transects                                                  |
| 2           | Andhra Pradesh offshore                    | EEZ                        | At 20 km spaced transects | At 20 km spaced transects                                                  |
| **IV**      | **Phosphorite**                            |                            |                           |                                                                            |
| 1           | Gujarat                                    | EEZ                        | Multibeam bathymetry done | At 20 km spaced transects                                                  |
| 2           | Maharashtra                                | EEZ                        | Multibeam bathymetry done | At 20 km spaced transects                                                  |
| 3           | Tamil Nadu & Puducherry                    | EEZ                        | At 20 km spaced transects | At 20 km spaced transects                                                  |
| **V**       | **Carbonate Sand**                         |                            |                           |                                                                            |
| 1           | Lakshadweep offshore                       | TW & EEZ                   | At 20 km spaced transects | At 40 km spaced transects                                                  |
| **VI**      | **Manganese encrustations/ micro nodules** |                            |                           |                                                                            |
| 1           | Lakshadweep offshore                       | EEZ                        | At 20 km spaced transects | At 40 km spaced transects                                                  |