Explore minerals using modern technology: Secretary Mr. P. Dayanand

The 24th meeting of the State Level Geological Program Board Chhattisgarh was held today in the mini conference hall of Civil Line Vishram Bhavan in the capital Raipur under the chairmanship of Secretary of Mineral Resources Department Mr. P. Dayanand. In the meeting, Secretary Mr. P. Dayanand said that minerals play an important role in the development of any country and state. For the establishment of new mineral based industries in Chhattisgarh, various minerals present in the state should be explored in a continuous and systematic manner.

He told all the departments and institutions associated with the exploration work present in the meeting that for the overall development of Chhattisgarh, they should explore the minerals found in the state using their skills, resources and the latest available technologies. He advised to share the data produced among the agencies working for the development of minerals in Chhattisgarh and establish mutual coordination. Shri P. Dayanand informed that in the year 2023-24, mineral revenue of about Rs 13000 crore has been received, which is about 30 times more than the year of establishment of the state.

Secretary of Mineral Department, Mr. P. Dayanand reviewed the geological work done in the year 2023-24 by the departments and institutions of the Central and State Government working in the field of mineral exploration and mineral exploitation in the state. During the review, the achievements of the work done in the year 2023-24 were discussed and the geological work proposed in the year 2024-25 for the exploration of minerals found in the state was finalized. Representatives of various departments and undertakings of the Central and State Government including Director of Geology and Mining Department, Mr. Sunil Kumar Jain were present in the meeting.

New deposits of limestone and iron ore were discovered in the state

Giving information about the works completed in the year 2023-24, Director, Department of Geology and Mining, Mr. Jain said that this year a total of 1050 million tonnes of limestone and a total of 179 million tonnes of iron ore reserves were estimated.

Ministry of Mines, Government of India has approved 01 exploration project for limestone in Chhattisgarh under NMET in the year 2023-24. Three proposals were approved to the notified private exploration institute for exploration work in the state under NMET. Which includes two graphite and one rare earth metals (REE).

Representatives of various departments and undertakings of the central and state governments also gave presentations on the mineral exploration work done in Chhattisgarh state. Dr. Sudeep Bhattacharya, Deputy Director General, Geological Survey of India, informed that survey work has been done for bauxite, gold, copper, glauconite, graphite, base metal, diamond, lithium, REE, PGE, phosphorite and fluorite minerals in various districts of Chhattisgarh. Work is being undertaken on a total of 25 projects of various minerals in the year 2024-25.

Joint Director (Geology) Shri Sanjay Kanakne informed that a total of 12 exploration projects were approved by the Directorate of Geology and Mining, Chhattisgarh for survey-prospecting work in the year 2024-25. Which includes 01 project on manganese, 01 on graphite, 03 on limestone, 05 on iron ore and 02 on bauxite. Two proposals have been approved by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, to the private exploration institute notified in the year 2024-25 under NMET in Chhattisgarh for exploration work in the state. Which includes 01 proposal of lithium and 01 proposal of graphite.

Similarly, in the year 2024-25, a total of 44 projects of 10 different minerals were approved for exploration-prospecting work by various institutions in the state. These include 02 exploration-prospecting projects of phosphorite, 05 of gold, 06 of gluconite, 11 of REE (Lithium, Tantalum etc.), 01 of lead-zinc, 01 of phosphate, 05 of bauxite, 09 of iron ore, 02 of copper, 01 of graphite and 01 of lithium.