Overview

• Monazite sands in eight states hold 7.23 MT of in-situ rare earth oxide while hard-rock formations in Gujarat and Rajasthan account for 1.29 MT, totaling 8.52 MT of confirmed reserves.
• The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research has ramped up surveys in coastal, inland and riverine placer sands as well as hard-rock terrains to map critical minerals.
• The Geological Survey of India has boosted its resource estimates by 482.6 MT of rare earth ore at various cut-off grades across 34 exploration projects.
• The National Critical Minerals Mission is mobilizing funding and expediting environmental and forest clearances to accelerate domestic supply chains.
• Khanij Bidesh India Limited is pursuing overseas assets with agreements in Argentina and talks with Australia alongside multilateral engagements through MSP, IPEF and iCET.