The Central Government has notified a list of 24 minerals including Tantalum, in Part D of the First Schedule of the MMDR Act, 1957 as Critical and Strategic minerals.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI), an attached office of the Ministry of Mines, is giving special emphasis on exploration of strategic and critical minerals including Tantalum. From field season 2021-22 to 2024-25, GSI has taken up 6 projects on exploration for Tantalum and associated minerals in different parts of the country. The details are as follows:

 

Sl. No.	Field season	State	District	Name of Mineral Block / Area / Belt	UNFC Stage	Mineral Commodity
1	2020-21	Gujarat	Sabarkantha	Nadri	G3	Tin, Tungsten, Tantalum, Niobium
2	2021-22	Arunachal Pradesh	East Kameng	Seppa	G4	Tantalum, Cesium
3	2023-24	Rajasthan	Alwar	Dadikar, Harsora and Khairthal	G4	REE, RM, Tungsten, Tin, Niobium, Beryllium, Tantalum, Hafnium
4	2024-25	Chhattisgarh	Gaurella-Pendra-Murmur & Korba	Uran- KotmiKhurd	G4	Niobium, Tantalum, REE, lithium
5		Bihar	Jamui	Kairi-Jhura-Murbaro	G4	Lithium, Niobium, Tantalum and associated strategic minerals (REE, Rare Metals)
6		Karnataka	Chitradurga	Chikjajur-Janakal	G4	Lithium, Cesium, Niobium, Tantalum, Tungsten

 

Further, GSI has established a Niobium-Tantalum resource of 16.42 million tonnes with average grade of 144ppm (Nb+Ta)₂O₅ at 100 ppm cut off in Rewat Hill block, Nagaur district, Rajasthan.

In order to strengthen the supply chain of critical minerals including Tantalum, elimination of customs duty on Tantalum ores & concentrates and unwrought Tantalum have been announced in Union Budget 2024-25.

This information was given by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

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