India needs to redefine the existing exploration strategies to locate deep-seated mineral deposits, Mines Minister Dinsha Patel said today.
"There is an urgent need to redefine our exploration strategies for locating deep-seated mineral deposits by deploying techniques available all over the world," Patel said at an award presentation ceremony here.
The value of India's mineral production (excluding atomic minerals) during 2010-11 was worth Rs 2 lakh crore, up 11.83% over the previous year's.
Stating that the country is deficient in minerals like rock phosphate, coking coal and nickel, Patel said there was a need to discover new locales of minerals and intensify their exploration activities.
"As the country develops and industry grows, the assured availability and proximity of mineral resources will play an important role in giving a competitive edge to the Indian industry," he said.
To exploit the country's geological potential for the sustainable development, it is important that scientific and detailed prospecting is carried out in search of its mineral resources using state-of-the-art techniques in a time-bound manner, Patel added.
The extraction of mineral resources have to be maximised through scientific methods of mining, beneficiation and economic utilisation, he said adding that there was a need to upgrade mining technology to ensure extraction and utilisation of the entire "run-of-mines" in the most efficient manner.
