The Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) would soon be offering license for mining and marketing of bauxite mineral from its Barima block in Sitapur district of Surguja district. Open-cast mechanized mining method with drilling and blasting is proposed for the project, officials stated.
Notably, Chhattisgarh is among 19 States in the country where the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has also proposed to take up aerogeophysical survey to explore new mineral blocks. In the first phase, it has been proposed that, reconnaissance aerogeophysical survey will be completed with magnetometer and gravity sensors and in the second phase, high resolution airborne survey will be carried out over potential mineral zones identified from the reconnaissance survey.
A total of 8.13 lakh square kilometers of geological potential area in the country would be explored through outsourcing. The potential area for aerogeophysical survey covers parts of the States of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Goa, Haryana, Sikkim and Assam. The data generated through aerogeophysical survey will be shared with the concerned States for taking up further exploration works.
The Central Government has established the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) on August 14, 2015. The NMET has a governing body chaired by the Union Minister in-charge of Ministry of Mines and an Executive Committee chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Mines.
The primary objective of the NMET is to promote regional and detailed mineral exploration in the country to increase overall mineral production and achieve sustainable development of the mineral sector.
Notably, Chhattisgarh accounted for 6.07 per cent of the total bauxite production in the country in 2013-14, as per the annual report of the Union Ministry of Mines. Gujarat had the maximum 32.41 per cent share in bauxite production while Jharkhand had 10.53 percent share and Maharashtra had 9.51 per cent share.The remaining bauxite production was reported from Goa, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it stated.
Incidentally, the total value of mineral production (excluding atomic and minor minerals) in the country during June 2015 was `18,194 crore. The contribution of coal was the highest at `6662 crore (37%).
Next in the order of importance were—petroleum (crude) `5,636 crore, iron ore `1,847 crore, natural gas (utilised) `2164 crore, lignite `516 crore and limestone `490 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 95% of the total value of mineral production in June 2015.
Moreover, Chhattisgarh had 7.48 per cent share in total value of mineral production in the country during 2014-15, according to the annual report of the Union Ministry of Mines .
As per the report, Rajasthan had share of 11.49 per cent, Gujarat ( 8.85 per cent), Andhra Pradesh ( 8.25 per cent), Chhattisgarh ( 7.48 per cent) followed by Jharkhand (7.37 per cent), Odisha (6.38 per cent), Maharashtra (5.35 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (4.70 per cent), West Bengal (4.32 per cent), Assam (4.04 per cent), Karnataka (2.96 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh ( 2.72 per cent).
The remaining States and Union Territories having individual share of less than 2.5 per cent all together accounted for remaining of total value of mineral production during the year under review, the report stated. State-wise analysis revealed that during 2014-15, the value of mineral production have shown a mixed trend as compared to the previous year.
The States which have indicated an increase in the value of mineral production are —Tripura (14.3 per cent), Karnataka (1.6 per cent), Bihar (6.6 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (16.5 per cent), Mehgalaya (61.6 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (0.8 per cent) and Chhattisgarh (0.7 per cent).
During 2014-15, mineral production was reported from 33 States and Union Territories which is actual reporting from Mineral Conservation and Development Rules ( MCDR) and fuel minerals from 23 States and estimation of minor minerals for all the 32 States and union territories of which the bulk of value of mineral production of about 94.18 per cent was confined to 13 States (including off shore areas) only, it stated.