NEW DELHI— India possesses an estimated 8.52 million tonnes of rare earth element (REE) reserves, according to Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Dr. Singh stated that approximately 7.23 million tonnes of Rare Earth Oxide (REO) are found within 13.15 million tonnes of monazite — a mineral rich in thorium and rare earths — occurring in coastal beach sands, inland alluvium, and red sand deposits across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
An additional 1.29 million tonnes of REEs are located in hard rock formations in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the minister noted.
The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), under the Department of Atomic Energy, continues exploration and resource augmentation of rare earth minerals in coastal, riverine, and hard rock regions across India.
Furthermore, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has added 482.6 million tonnes of REE ore resources through 34 exploration projects, Dr. Singh informed. Over the past decade, India has exported 18 tonnes of rare earth minerals and has not recorded any imports.
Dr. Singh also highlighted diplomatic efforts to address global supply chain concerns, especially in light of export restrictions on rare earth magnets imposed by certain countries. The Ministry of External Affairs is actively engaging with stakeholders to mitigate risks and ensure continuity of supply.
To strengthen mineral security, the Ministry of Mines has signed bilateral agreements with mineral-rich countries including Australia, Argentina, Zambia, Peru, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Côte d’Ivoire. It has also partnered with global institutions like the International Energy Agency (IEA).
India is actively participating in international collaborations such as the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), and the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) to develop a resilient critical minerals value chain.
To secure overseas resources, the government established Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), a joint venture focused on acquiring critical minerals abroad. KABIL has signed an exploration and development agreement with CAMYEN, a state-owned entity in Argentina’s Catamarca province, for five lithium blocks. It is also in regular dialogue with Australia’s Critical Minerals Office to explore further opportunities.
Additionally, India is pursuing government-to-government Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Brazil and the Dominican Republic to promote cooperation in rare earth and critical minerals research, development, and innovation.
Dr. Singh emphasized the strategic importance of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, graphite, titanium, and rare earth elements, which are essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defense. The Ministry of Mines has initiated policy reforms aimed at ensuring supply chain resilience and long-term sustainability in these vital sectors. (Source: IANS)
