Deepak Kumar Sahu reports that the Geological Survey of India expediting rare earth exploration work at Barme in India. As part of its strategy to counter the Chinese monopoly in rare earth element production, in a first, India plans to auction one such rare earth deposit in Rajasthan.
They had a detailed discussion with GSI (Geological Survey of India) and other ministry officials on rare earths in the country. They asked GSI to speed up geophysical studies and identify the blocks for one such deposit in Rajasthan, India mines secretary Balvinder Kumar told VCCircle.
They are going to conduct geophysical mapping of 1,000 sq. km area in Barmer for rare earth deposits. The work will be finished in one year time, said Harbans Singh, director general, GSI, adding that after the process is over, blocks can be auctioned for further exploration.
Monazite is the principal ore mineral for rare earths in India. India has an estimated reserve of around 12 million tonnes (MT) of monazite in the beach sand mineral placer deposits along the coastal tracts. Monazite contains radioactive thorium which cannot be stored and could not be mined. However, the rare-earth deposits in Barmer contain low amounts of thorium, which can be extracted, added the mines ministry official quoted above.
State-run lndian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL), under the department of atomic energy, has been processing monazite at its rare earths division at Alwaye, Kerala. IREL has recently set up a plant in Odisha to process 10,000 tonnes of monazite per annum. Experts welcome the government initiative, but stressed that proper exploration needs to be done to find out the reserves of rare earths before it is put up for auction.
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