For the first time in the country, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) will use sophisticated aircraft to map the mineral stocks located as deep as 20 km in earth in a pilot project beginning tomorrow, officials said.
"Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal will kickstart a pilot project, worth Rs 110 crore, wherein specially-equipped aircraft will fly from Nagpur airport starting tomorrow," N Kutambarao, Additional Director General (ADG) of the GSI (Central region) told PTI today.
The aircraft will have daily flights for recording the mineral stocks in Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
"This is for the first time that the Indian government is using such aircraft-based survey to map its mineral stocks," he said.
"This is a pilot project and but going by its success rate in Australia, New Zealand and some other countries, Indian government would like to carry out it in other parts of the country as well," the ADG said.
Deputy Director General of the GSI N Mohanty said, "We have got special aircraft from Australia and New Zealand with all the necessary machinery and sensors to map the terrain. It can map up to 20 km deep in the earth and record minerals stock."
He said GSI is primarily looking for manganese, copper and lead.
"The aircraft will fly at the height of 80 to 300 meters high above the surface. Mapping of entire region will take one-and-half-months starting tomorrow. Special permissions from director general of civil aviation have been obtained.
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