INDIA MINERAL POTENTIAL - PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE-TRENDS

This paper outlines the potential of India's mineral resources, which comprise a wide range of deposit types scattered across the subcontine nt, within an area of 3,287,590 km(2). The geological environment is e xtremely diverse, ranging from extensive Archean cratonic nuclei, with large areas of high-grade metamorphic rocks of lower-crustal provenan ce, to Proterozoic sedimentary basins and mobile belts, to Tertiary mo untain ranges and Quaternary surficial deposits. The mineral endowment of these disparate regions includes world-class deposits of iron, man ganese, and chromium, plus base metals (copper, lead, zinc), precious metals, and a spectrum of nonmetallic resources from bauxite to gemsto nes. India is a major exporter of Fe ore, biIn ore, chromite, mica, an d granite. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the shores of Indi a totals 2,014,900 km2, 61% the size of the landmass, holding addition al potential for commodities such as heavy mineral sands (monazite, ru tile, and other materials) and Mn- and Go-rich ferromanganese nodules and crusts. A selective overview of India's mineral potential is provi ded with reference to 22 metals and groups of metals and 6 non-metalli c commodity groups, excluding fuels. These are Cu, Zn, Pb, and Ag; Fe, Ti, V, and Mn; Cr, Ni, Co, and PGE; Au; Sn, W, and Mo; Nb, Ta, and Li ; bauxite; U, Th, and the REE; barite, garnet, and graphite; and diamo nds and colored gemstones. The effectiveness of the domestic mineral i ndustry in locating and exploiting these resources varies greatly amon g commodities. Some sectors where the country was once a noted produce r, such as diamonds and gold, have been eclipsed by major discoveries in other lands and by stagnant domestic output. In some cases, such as gold and nickel, known reset-yes and output are small compared to bot h the area of prospective terrain and high domestic demand (Table 1). Some indication is provided of likely future trends, in view of the Go vernment of India's current initiatives to entice foreign investment i n many sectors. This recently developed open policy extends to explora tion and mining ventures, construction of power generation units, and modernization of existing industrial plant, transport, and communicati ons. With an eye on this mineral-economic context, we present a synthe sis of the issues faced by the mineral sector as it enters the 21st ce ntury.