India’s imports of rare earth elements (REE) have steadily increased over the past five years, rising from 1,848 tonnes in 2019–20 to 2,270 tonnes in 2023–24, according to data shared by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy in Parliament. The bulk of these imports came from China, followed by Japan, Russia, Korea, and a few other countries.

To reduce import dependency, the government has ramped up domestic exploration efforts. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is spearheading a national campaign under the National Critical Mineral Mission, focusing on increasing domestic production and securing foreign supply chains.

During 2021–23, GSI initiated three reconnaissance-stage (G4) projects in Rajasthan’s Sirohi and Bhilwara districts targeting neodymium, a key rare earth metal. Simultaneously, the Department of Atomic Energy identified 111,845 tonnes of in-situ REE oxide reserves in Balotra, Rajasthan.

Under the field season programme for 2024–25, GSI is executing 195 exploration projects, including 35 in Rajasthan, covering areas such as Barmer, Sikar, Sirohi, Udaipur, Alwar, and more. These projects are aimed at REEs and associated minerals like tungsten, tin, niobium, tantalum, hafnium, lithium, and basemetals.

Since the MMDR Amendment Act of 2015, GSI has established REE resources in Barmer and Sikar and submitted multiple reports to facilitate auctioning of these mineral blocks.

This strategic push highlights India’s commitment to developing a robust critical minerals supply chain, crucial for the country’s clean energy transition, electronics manufacturing, and defence industries.

(PIB)