Mineral Resources in Uttarakhand

Introduction

Uttarakhand, located in the northern part of India, is richly endowed with various mineral resources due to its diverse geological structure. The state has a good potential for mining activities due to the presence of minerals like limestone, magnesium, copper, gypsum etc. However, mining activities have remained subdued in the state.

The objective of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of the availability, distribution and mining prospects of various minerals found in Uttarakhand.

Limestone

Availability and Distribution

• Uttarakhand has large deposits of limestone, especially in the Lesser Himalayan zones of the state
• The total resource of limestone is placed at 1,725 million tonnes, out of which 409 million tonnes are placed under proved category
• The important limestone belts are located in Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts

Mining and Prospects

• At present, mining of limestone is being carried out only at Dugadda in Uttarkashi district with an annual production of about 0.20 million tonnes
• Limestone deposit located at Lakhanpur-Barkot also holds promise for exploitation in future
• The cement grade limestone located in the Lesser Himalayan zone needs to be thoroughly explored and mined to meet the limestone requirement of the upcoming cement plants in the state

Magnesite

Availability and Distribution

• Uttarakhand accounts for the entire magnesite resource in the country. The total resource of magnesite ore in the state is placed at 176 million tonnes
• The important magnesite belts are located in Pithoragarh district (Darlaghat, Deotal, Thaltak etc)

Mining and Prospects

• At present, mining activities for magnesite are being carried out only at Agori and Sera in Pithoragarh district with an annual production of about 0.05 million tonnes
• The high-grade magnesite deposits located in the district offer promising prospects for mining provided effective steps are taken for systematic exploration and organised mining

Copper

Availability and Distribution

• The total resource of copper ore is placed at 17.83 million tonnes, out of which 3.15 million tonnes are proved reserves
• Economically viable deposits of copper are located in Jhakri (Dehradun), Dhanpur and Niglat (Tehri), Sobla (Pithoragarh)

Mining and Prospects

• At present, mining activities for copper are being carried out at Mala Jhakri and Niglat-Agunda deposits
• The production of copper ore at 2.0 lakh tonne per annum is being achieved from these mines
• The proved resource can sustain this rate of production for over 15 years
• The extensive copper mineralization in Uttarakhand offers good prospects for exploitation in future

Gypsum

Availability and Distribution

• The total resource of gypsum is placed at 23 million tonnes
• The important gypsum belts are located in Chamoli district (Mana, Niti valley) and Tehri district (Bhilangna Valley)

Mining and Prospects

• Currently, mining lease has been granted for gypsum at Lakshmangarh in Tehri district with an annual capacity of 5000 tonnes
• The high-grade gypsum deposits especially in Chamoli district hold promise for exploitation in future

Soapstone

Availability and Distribution

• The total resource of soapstone in the state is about 8 million tonnes
• Economically workable deposits of soapstone are located in Bageshwar, Chamoli, Pithoragarh, Tehri and Uttarkashi districts

Mining and Prospects

• At present, mining activities of soapstone are being carried out only at a few locations on small scale
• The annual production is less than 5000 tonnes per annum
• However, these deposits can be systematically explored and mined by granting mining leases to meet the rising demand

Other Minerals

Some of the other minerals available in Uttarakhand along with their key deposits are:

Mineral	Key Deposits
Dolomite	Vikasnagar, Doiwala, Herbertpur
Pyrite	Bhilangna Valley
Graphite	Karanprayag, Gopeshwar
Magnesite	Pithoragarh, Bageshwar
Talc	Pithoragarh

Initiatives by Government to Promote Mining

The Government of Uttarakhand has taken several policy initiatives to promote mining activities in the state:

• Uttarakhand Mining Policy, 2015 – Provides single window clearance system, incentives for value addition, liberalised procedures for grant & extension of mining leases etc.
• Uttarakhand Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2015 – Simplified procedures for obtaining mining leases for minor minerals like limestone, gypsum, soapstone etc.
• Uttarakhand Mineral Transit Rules, 2015 – Regulates transportation, storage and reporting requirements for minerals mined in the state
• GIS-based Inventory of Mineral Resources – Prepared district-wise mineral maps showing potential areas to offer to prospective entrepreneurs

Challenges for Mining Industry

Despite the policy initiatives by the Government, mining activities have not picked up pace in the state. Some of the major challenges faced are:

• Difficult hilly terrain increasing mining costs
• Lack of adequate infrastructure connectivity
• Limited use of modern mining techniques
• Short working season
• Concerns related to environmental sustainability and local interests

The above challenges need to be addressed by way of a joint effort between the Government and the private sector.

Conclusion

To summarize, Uttarakhand is endowed with rich mineral deposits especially limestone, magnesite, gypsum and copper which hold strong promise for future exploitation. The initiatives by the Government have created a conducive environment for private investment in mining projects. However, issues related to difficult terrain, lack of infrastructure, short working season, environmental concerns etc need to be jointly addressed by the state and private players for development of mining industry in Uttarakhand to its full potential.

What are the major mineral resources found in Uttarakhand?

Limestone, magnesite, gypsum and copper are the major mineral resources of Uttarakhand with huge deposits. The state also has deposits of minerals like dolomite, iron, pyrite, soapstone etc.

Which districts of Uttarakhand have largest mineral deposits?

Districts like Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Tehri, Bageshwar etc located across different regions of Uttarakhand have largest mineral deposits.

What initiatives has the Uttarakhand government taken to promote mining?

Government of Uttarakhand has introduced favorable policies like Uttarakhand Mining Policy, Minor Mineral Concession Rules, Mineral Transit Rules etc. along with GIS Mineral Inventory to promote private investment in mining projects.

What are the major challenges for the mining industry in the state?

Difficult hilly terrain, lack of infrastructure, limited use of modern techniques, short working season and concerns related to environment sustainability are major challenges for the mining industry in Uttarakhand.