India Intensifies Rare Earth Exploration Amid Rising Imports

07 Apr 2025 CW Team

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)

Technology

28 Oct 2025

Building Faster, Smarter, and Greener!

Backed by ULCCS’s century-old legacy, U-Sphere combines technology, modular design and sustainable practices to deliver faster and more efficient projects. In an interaction with CW, Rohit Prabhakar, Director - Business Development, shares how the company’s integrated model of ‘Speed-Build’, ‘Smart-Build’ and ‘Sustain-Build’ is redefining construction efficiency, quality and environmental responsibility in India.U-Sphere positions itself at the intersection of speed, sustainability and smart design. How does this translate into measurable efficiency on the ground?At U..

Smart Roads, Smarter India

India’s infrastructure boom is not only about laying more kilometres of highways – it’s about building them smarter, safer and more sustainably. From drones mapping fragile Himalayan slopes to 3D machine-controlled graders reducing human error, technology is steadily reshaping the way projects are planned and executed. Yet, the journey towards digitisation remains complex, demanding not just capital but also coordination, training and vision.Until recently, engineers largely depended on Survey of India toposheets and traditional survey methods like total stations or DGPS to prepare detai..

What Does DCPR 2034 Mean?

The Maharashtra government has eased approval norms for high-rise buildings under DCPR 2034, enabling the municipal commissioner to sanction projects up to 180 m on large plots. This change is expected to streamline approvals, reduce procedural delays and accelerate redevelopment, drawing reactions from developers, planners and industry experts about its implications for Mumbai’s vertical growth.Under the revised DCPR 2034 rules, buildings on plots of 2,000 sq m or more can now be approved up to 180 m by the municipal commissioner, provided structural and geotechnical reports are certified b..