Patna: State mines and geology minister Pramod Kumar Chandravanshi announced on Saturday that Bihar is set to witness large-scale mining operations for a dozen critical minerals and rare earth elements (REEs) within the next couple of years. These operations will take place across seven districts in south Bihar.
Exploration Progress
This development has become possible as the final stage of detailed exploration, known as G1 exploration in mining terminology, is scheduled to begin shortly under the supervision of the central government, Chandravanshi told this newspaper.
Identified Districts and Minerals
The districts identified for mining include Rohtas (glauconite), Gaya (nickel, chromium, and magnetite iron ore), Jehanabad (magnetite), Gaya-Aurangabad (tin, tungsten, and REEs), Bhagalpur (fine clay, REEs, and aluminium), Banka (copper, lead, and zinc), and Jamui (magnetite).
Division of Mineral Blocks
Chandravanshi stated that the mineral blocks earmarked for mining have been divided between the Centre and the state. The Centre has retained 10 mining blocks, while the remaining three have been allocated to the state mines and geology department.
Technical Details
The completion of initial G3 exploration, followed by G2 activities, has provided information about promising target areas for mining operations, along with their geological features and the size and shape of the mineral deposits. Only the final G1 or detailed exploration, also called the final survey, remains to be completed. This will help collect and prepare data on the exact dimensions of the mineral deposits and their related features. It will require the use of more specialised technologies, including drones, and sophisticated assessment and analysis of the data.
The minister added that the exercise would take around two years to complete, after which mining operations could begin.
Tendering Process
In this connection, the Centre has already completed the tendering process for the G1-level survey of two glauconite blocks in Rohtas and one nickel-chromium block in Gaya. As for the remaining seven blocks with the Centre, the tendering process began on May 20 to invite bids. Once the process is completed and work orders are issued to the selected firms, surveys of all these blocks located in Gaya, Jehanabad, Rohtas, Gaya-Aurangabad, and Bhagalpur districts will also begin.
Benefits for Bihar
According to the minister, mining operations in the 10 blocks under the Centre would bring significant benefits to Bihar. It will create local employment for both skilled and unskilled workers. Besides, the state will receive royalty on the minerals mined, SGST collections, and District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds, which will be used for development activities, among other benefits.
