Northeast Region A Storehouse Of Critical Minerals, Centre Seeks To Unlock It

NDTV

a day ago

The government has identified several areas in the northeast region enriched with critical and strategic minerals which are important for clean energy transition, digital infrastructure and defence manufacturing, according to studies and explorations done by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
These minerals include rare earth elements (REE), graphite, vanadium, lithium, cobalt and others needed for making batteries, semiconductors and advanced alloys.
Projects in the northeast region funded by the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET)
"India's growing demand for such resources underscores the need to identify and develop domestic sources, particularly in geologically promising regions such as the northeast... Through dedicated thematic studies, baseline surveys and project-based exploration, GSI has identified several zones enriched with these vital resources," the GSI said in a 57-page report packed with summaries of the results of its explorations.
China - the world's dominant exporter of rare earth magnets - in April imposed export restrictions on REE and finished magnets. REE are critical to making motors for electric vehicles (EV), among other uses.
The neighbouring country's decision raised concern in the West and India too, which sourced over 80 per cent of its 540-tonne magnet imports from China in fiscal 2025. The European clean energy sector also sourced approximately 98 per cent of its REE from China.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in June termed the development a "wake-up call" for India to find other supply chains for REE and reduce the country's reliance on China.
The northeast region's (NER) unique geology comprising ophiolite belts, alkaline-ultramafic complexes, and graphite-bearing schists offers favourable settings for a range of critical minerals, the GSI said. The mineral resources of NER are poised to play a crucial supporting role as India prepares for a mineral-intensive clean energy transition and technological growth, it said.
The NER comprises Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura, and covers approximately 2.62 lakh square kilometres (sq km), or 8 per cent of India's total geographical area.
Arunachal Pradesh has emerged as India's most significant domestic source of natural flake graphite. Major deposits have been delineated in West Siang, Papum Pare, and Lower Subansiri districts, the GSI said in its report, adding it has established a resource of over 17.89 million tonnes of graphite with significant grades suitable for battery and refractory applications.
"The graphite in this region is typically fine- to medium-flaked, with fixed carbon content ranging from 5 per cent to 25 per cent. This makes it a viable feedstock for downstream beneficiation and high-value applications such as lithium-ion battery anodes," the GSI said.
Specialised thematic mapping (STM) status map of northeast region (NER). High-resolution here
Vanadium In Arunachal, REE In Assam And Meghalaya
Another major find in Arunachal Pradesh is vanadium, an important metal used in steel alloys and other industrial applications. The GSI's exploration found vanadium totalling 13.79 million tonnes, marking India's first major resource of this critical alloying element.
The area around Lodoso village in Arunachal Pradesh's Papum Pare district has yielded a delineated resource of 2.15 million tonnes of REE-bearing ferruginous phyllite [a type of metamorphic rock], the GSI said.
Assam and Meghalaya are the two other states where the GSI's investigations found REE potential.
In Assam, the GSI found encouraging results of REE concentrations ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 parts per million.
Parts per million (ppm) means one part of a substance for every one million parts of the total mixture.
In Meghalaya, GSI tests showed REE values ranging between 3,646 and 5,100 ppm.
There are indications of lithium deposits in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Assam, the GSI report said, adding while they are still in early stages of investigation, these occurrences merit further exploration, given India's dependency on lithium imports.
"Nickel and cobalt, associated with ophiolite complexes in Nagaland and Manipur, are being targeted through detailed geochemical surveys and petrographic studies," the GSI said.
In layperson's terms, it means nickel and cobalt occur as trace constituents of ancient rocks in these two states, and it will need advanced techniques to recover them economically.
To formalise and accelerate the search for critical minerals in the NER, the GSI launched the Critical Mineral Assessment Programme (CMAP) in 2024-25. The programme focuses on assessing the potential of laterite/lateritic soils, carbonaceous rocks and alkaline complexes across Manipur-Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, the GSI said in its report.
Closing Data Gaps
The amendment of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act in 2015 was a landmark shift in India's mineral governance, emphasising auction-based allocation of mining rights and placing a greater responsibility on public sector exploration agencies to generate auction-ready blocks.
In response, the GSI realigned its exploration strategy to prioritise the identification, evaluation and documentation of mineral resources with a clear focus on states like those in the NER, where data gaps had long existed.
"Since amendments of the MMDR Act in 2015, the GSI has significantly expanded its exploration footprint in the NER. The region, once largely unmapped or understood only at reconnaissance scale, has now seen systematic investigations leading to the generation of high-confidence geological reports and geological memorandum across multiple commodities," the GSI said.
Between 2015 and 2024, GSI completed and handed over 38 exploration blocks across four key states - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Nagaland. These blocks cover a range of mineral commodities, including graphite, vanadium, REE, limestone, iron ore, glass sand, copper, nickel, chromium, and cobalt.
In Arunachal Pradesh, 11 blocks have been handed over for graphite, vanadium, copper and REE. In Assam seven blocks have been handed over, notably for limestone, iron ore and silica sand. Meghalaya, with its extensive limestone belt, accounts for the largest number of blocks - 19 in total. Nagaland has contributed one block focused on nickel, chromium and cobalt with ultramafic complexes.
Many of these blocks have progressed to the auction stage and seven blocks have been already auctioned, signalling growing industry confidence in the region's resource base, the GSI said.
In field season 2025-26 and beyond, the GSI said it will focus on critical minerals such as REE, vanadium, bauxite and nickel-cobalt-chromite across key formations in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Manipur.
"Reconnaissance mapping is also planned in unexplored terrains of Mizoram and Tripura. These projects will leverage geospatial technologies, aero-geophysical surveys and mineral system modeling to position the NER as a focused frontier for strategic mineral exploration," the GSI said.
Which State, What Minerals
Assam is traditionally known for its oil and natural gas reserves, but it also hosts valuable deposits of iron ore, glass sand, limestone, and REE. It has emerged as important targets for REE exploration, the GSI said.
In neighbouring Meghalaya, explorations have yielded promising values of REE, particularly from titaniferous bauxite cappings, the GSI said. The state is one of India's richest in limestone, particularly in East Jaintia Hills and Khasi Hills districts. Meghalaya's 19 blocks handed over for auction underscores both the scale and readiness of its mineral resources.
Nagaland, a geologically critical zone along the Indo-Myanmar tectonic boundary, has one of the most notable mineral assemblages in the form of a nickel-cobalt-chromium suite, the GSI said.
"These have been reported from Mollen-Washello area of Meluri subdivision and have drawn interest for critical mineral assessment," the GSI said. "Despite the challenging terrain and limited infrastructure, Nagaland remains a high-potential state for future exploration, particularly for critical minerals in ophiolitic rocks," it said.
In Manipur, chromite has been identified in the ophiolite belts in Ukhrul district, including areas such as Sirohi, Harbui, and Lunghar. Manipur's mineral potential is being reassessed under the CMAP, especially for nickel, cobalt and REE, the GSI report said.
Mineral resources in Manipur's neighbour Mizoram are limited, primarily due to the region's young geology and limited extent of exposed basement rocks, the GSI said. However, potential exists for hydrocarbons, clay and construction grade material. Coal seams of limited thickness have been reported, although they are generally discontinuous and poor in quality.
"Exploration is currently being proposed in selected areas under the FS [field season] 2025-26 plan, particularly to assess the potential for limestone within the sedimentary sequence. Mizoram's mineral potential remains largely untapped and may benefit from targeted reconnaissance surveys in the coming years," the GSI report said.
Target areas for future mineral exploration in northeast region (NER)
Tripura has a modest inventory of solid minerals, and is known more for its oil and natural gas potential. There are occurrences of low-quality coal; however, no major economic deposits have yet been established, the GSI said.
Sikkim, the smallest state in the NER, has traditionally not been known for large-scale mineralisation. Glacial and fluvio-glacial sediments are present in the high-altitude valleys, but due to ecological sensitivity and rugged topography, exploration remains limited, the GSI said.
"Future exploration in Sikkim will likely remain focused on reconnaissance surveys and data integration to evaluate critical mineral potential, particularly in geologically favourable zones..." it said.
The NER is bounded by five countries - China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and serves as India's easternmost frontier. This geographical position places NER with strategic significance, both in terms of national security and its potential role in cross border trade and economic integration under India's Act East Policy.
The region's terrain is largely hilly and mountainous, interspersed with deep valleys, broad river basins, and extensive forest cover. These factors, while contributing to its rich biodiversity, also pose unique logistical and infrastructural challenges. Despite these constraints, the region has begun to attract increasing attention due to its substantial untapped mineral potential, the GSI report said.