Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Atomic minerals: journey of India to self-sufficiency


Affiliations
1 Materials Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
2 Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Begumpet 500 016, India
3 Indian Rare Earths Limited (India), Prabhadevi 400 028, India
4 Uranium Corporation of India Ltd, Jaduguda 832 102, India
 

Atomic minerals include mainly minerals containing uranium, thorium, rare metals, viz. niobium, tantalum, lithium, beryllium, titanium, zirconium, and rare earth elements (REEs) containing uranium and thorium as well as beach sand minerals. In India, these minerals are specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and a few of these minerals containing uranium, thorium, niobium, tantalum and beryllium are included in the list of ‘Prescribed Substances’ under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. After independence, different units of the Department of Atomic Energy have been playing a key role in making India self-reliant in these minerals and their processing. In the front end, the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research shoulders the responsibility for survey, exploration, and augmentation of atomic mineral(s) resources. The Uranium Corporation of India Limited is responsible for mining and processing of uranium ores, while the Indian Rare Earths (India) Limited caters to the mining of monazite-rich beach sands for recovery and processing of thorium and REEs. These three units of the DAE are ably supported by the Materials Group of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, for technology development for mineral beneficiation and processing to produce metals/alloys/compounds required to support the requirements for expanding the nuclear power programme of India.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Wadia, S. R., Homi Jegangir Bhabha and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Curr. Sci., 2009, 96(5), 725–733.

  • Government of India Notification No. F-402/DSR/48 – under clause 13 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1948.

  • Bhabha, H. J. and Prasad, N. B., A study of the contributions of atomic energy to a power programme in India. In Proceedings of the Second United Nations International Conference on the Peaceful uses of Atomic Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Geneva, 1958, vol. 1, pp. 89–101.

  • Chaudhuri, N. P., Story of GSI, 1851–2001. Geological Survey of India, Commemor. vol. 150th Anniversary Celebrations of GSI, 2001, pp. 159–160.

  • Derriks, J. J. and Vaes, J. F., The Shinkolobwe uranium deposit: current status of our geological and metallogenic knowledge. In Proceedings of the International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, United Nations, New York, USA, 1956, pp. 94–128.

  • Sims, P. K. and Sheridan, D. M., Geology of uranium deposits in the Front Range, Colorado. US Geol. Surv. Bull., 1964, 1159, 116.

  • Fermor, L., The mineral resources of Bihar and Orissa. Rec. Geol. Surv. India, 1921, 53, 239–319.

  • Khedkar, V. R., Report on the iso-rad survey and prospecting for uranium in the belt of uraniferous rocks in Singhbhum district, Bihar. Field Season Report for 1950–51. Un published RMSU (AEC) Report, 1951.

  • Vasudeva, S. G., Preliminary geological observations on the drill cores in Singhbhum thrust belt. In Proceedings of the Symposium on Uranium Prospecting and Mining in India – 1964 (ed. Rama Rao, Y. N.), Jaduguda, Bihar (now Jharkhand), 1965, pp. 88–95.

  • Bhola, K. L., Radioactive deposits of India. In Symposium on Uranium Prospecting and Mining in India, Department of Atomic Energy, Jaduguda, 1965, pp. 1–41.

  • Bhola, K. L., Rama Rao, Y. N., Sastry, C. S. and Mehta, N. R., Uranium mineralisation in the Singhbhum Thrust Belt, Bihar India. Econ. Geol., 1966, 61, 162–173.

  • Saraswat, A. C., Uranium exploration in India: perspectives and strategy. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 1988, 1, 1–11.

  • Kaul, R., Yadava, R. S., Gupta, K. R., Singh, G. and Bahuguna, R., Structure and uranium mineralisation in the Proterozoic Aravalli Supergroup of Umra area, Udaipur district, Rajasthan, India. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 1991, 4, 13–25.

  • Udas, G. R. and Mahadevan, T. M., Controls and genesis of uranium mineralisation in some geological environments in India. In Proceedings of the Symposium on Formation of Uranium Ore Deposits, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, 1974, pp. 425–436.

  • Saraswat, A. C., Uranium resources for India’s nuclear power programme – overview. In Proceedings of IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Assessment of Uranium Resources and Supply, IAEA-TECDOC-597, Vienna, Austria, 29 August–1 September 1989, pp. 109–120.

  • Saraswat, A. C., Rishi, M. K., Gupta, R. K. and Bhaskar, D. V., Recognition of favourable uraniferous area in sediments of Meghalaya, India. In Proceedings of the Symposium on Recognition and Evaluation of Uraniferous Areas, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, 1977, pp. 165–181.

  • Phadke, A. V., Mahadevan, T. M., Narayan Das, G. R. and Saraswat, A. C., Uranium mineralisation in some Phanerozoic sandstones in India. International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA-TECDOC-328, Vienna, Austria, 1985, pp. 121–134.

  • Sengupta, B., Bahuguna, R., Kumar, S., Singh, R. and Kaul, R., Discovery of sandstone type uranium deposit at Domiasiat, West Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, Northeast India. Curr. Sci., 1991, 61, 46–47.

  • Sundaram, S. M., Sinha, P. A., Ravindra Babu, B. and Muthu, V. T., Uranium mineralisation in Vempalle dolomite and Pulivendla conglomerate/quartzite of Cuddapah Basin, Andhra Pradesh. Indian Miner., 1989, 43(2), 98–103.

  • Vasudeva Rao, M., Nagabhushana, J. C. and Jeyagopal, A. V., Uranium mineralisation in the middle Proterozoic carbonate rocks of the Cuddapah Super Group, Southern Peninsular India. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 1989, 2, 29–38.

  • Suri, A. K., Ghosh, S. K. and Padmanabhan, N. P. H., Recent pilot-plant experience on alkaline leaching of low grade uranium ore in India. In International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for Nuclear Fuel Cycle (URAM 2009), IAEA-CN-175/65, IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 22–26 June 2009, pp. 231–246.

  • Suri, A. K. et al., Process development studies for the recovery of uranium and sodium sulphate from a low-grade dolostone hosted stratabound type uranium ore deposit. Miner. Process. Extract. Metall., 2014, 123(2), 104–115.

  • Rai, A. K., Zakaulla, S. and Anjan, C., Proterozoic stratabound carbonate rock (dolostone) hosted uranium deposits in Vempalle formation in Cuddapah basin, India. In: International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues (URAM-2009), IAEA-CN-175/27, IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 22–26 June 2009, p. 95.

  • Gupta, R., Technical developments in uranium mining and milling in India. In International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues (URAM-2009), IAEA-CN-175/63, IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 22–26 June 2009, p. 35.

  • Sinha, R. M., Shrivastava, Y. K., Sarma, G. Y. G. and Parthasarathy, T. N., Geological favourability for unconformity-related uranium deposits in the northern parts of the Cuddapah basin: evidence from Lambapur uranium occurrences, Andhra Pradesh, India. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 1995, 8, 111–126.

  • Nanda, L. K., Katti, V. J. and Maithani, P. B., Prospects and potentialities for uranium in North Delhi Fold Belt: a case study from Rohil, Rajasthan, India. In International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues (URAM-2009), IAEA-CN-175/26, IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 22–26 June 2009, p. 97.

  • Mishra, B., Kumar, K., Khandelwal, M. K. and Nanda, L. K., Uranium mineralization in the Khetri Sub-Basin, North Delhi Fold Belt, India. In International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues (URAM-2018), Vienna, Austria, 25–29 June 2018, pp. 285–288.

  • Achar, K. K., Pandit, S. A., Natarajan, V., Kumar, Mary, K. and Dwivedy, K. K., Uranium mineralisation in the Neoproterozoic Bhima Basin, Karnataka, India. In Recent Developments in Uranium Resources. Production and Demand, IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 1997, pp. 1–22.

  • Chaki, A., Panneerselvam, A. and Chavan, S. J., Uranium exploration in the Upper Proterozoic Bhima Basin, Karnataka, India: a new target area. In IAEA Proceeding Series, Uranium Production and Raw Materials for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle – Supply and Demand, Economics, the Environment and Energy Security, 2005, pp. 183–194.

  • Roy, D., Bhattacharya, D., Mohanty, Patnaik, S., Pradhan, A. K., Chakrabarty, K. and Zakaullah, S., Deformation pattern in Gogi–Kurlagere fault zone at Gogi–Kanchankayi sector of Proterozoic Bhima Basin of northern Karnataka: implication in control of uranium mineralization. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 2016, 26, 157–176.

  • Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and Demand, Joint Biennial Report NEA and IAEA, NEA No. 7551, © OECD-2020, 2020, pp. 237–249.

  • Pandit, S. A., Natarajan, V. and Dhana Raju, R., Exploration for uranium in the Bhima Basin in parts of Karnataka, India. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 2002, 14, 29–58.

  • Sinha, D. K., Gupta, S., Nautiyal, K., Akhila, V. R., Shrivastava, V. K., Padhi, A. K. and Verma, M. B., Serpentinized peridotite-hosted uranium mineralisation (U–Cr–Ni–Mo–REE–Fe–Mg) in Kudada–Turamdih area: a new environment of metallogeny in Singhbum Shear Zone, India. Curr. Sci., 2019, 117(5), 830–838.

  • Ray, S. K., Mineral potential of the albitite line of Rajasthan, Geol. Surv. India, Spec. Publ., 2004, 72, 487–496.

  • Kumar, P., Panigrahi, B. and Joshi, G.B., Palaeochannel controlled cretaceous sandstone-type uranium deposit of Lostoin area, Mahadek Basin, Meghalaya. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2016, 87, 424–428.

  • Gupta, R. and Sarangi, A. K., Overview of Indian uranium production scenario in coming decades. Energy Procedia, 2011, 7, 146–152.

  • Gupta, R. and Sarangi, A. K., Emerging trend of uranium mining: the Indian scenario. In IAEA Symposium on Uranium Production and Raw Materials for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle – Supply and Demand, Economics, the Environment and Energy Security, IAEA-CN-128/6, IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 20–24 June 2005.

  • Gupta, R. and Sarangi, A. K., Uranium mining potential of India. Indian Min. J., 2008, 47(10), 55–59.

  • IREL, Rare Earth in India – The Incredible Voyage of Endurance, Indian Rare Earths Limited (India), Mumbai, 2020.

  • Mahadevan, C. and Sriramdas, A., Monazite in the beach sands of Visakhapatnam district. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., 1948, 27(A), 275–278.

  • Vishwanathan, P., Studies on Travancore beach sands. J. Ind. Min., Spec. Issue, 1957, 109–122.

  • Rao, G. D., Shetty, B. K. and Rami Naidu, Ch., Heavy minerals content and textural characteristics of coastal sands in Krishna, Godavar, Gosthani, Champavathi and Pennar River deltas of Andhra Pradesh: a comparative study. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 1989, 2, 147–155.

  • Ali, M. A., Krishnan, S. and Banerjee, D. C., Beach and inland heavy mineral sand investigations and deposits in India – an overview. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 2002, 13, 1–21.

  • Bhabha, H. J., The role of atomic power in India and its immediate possibilities. In Proceedings of the International Conference on the Peaceful uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva, 1955, vol. 1, pp. 103–109.

  • Bhabha, H. J., The need for atomic energy in the under-developed countries. In Proceedings of the Second United Nations International Conference on the Peaceful uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva, 1958, vol. 1, pp. 395–407.

  • Sinha, D. K., Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research. Institutional Report. Proc. Indian Natl. Sci. Acad., 2020, 86(1), 755–758.

  • IREL, Annual Report 1951–52, Indian Rare Earths Limited, Mumbai, 1952.

  • IREL, Annual Report 1952–53, Indian Rare Earths Limited, Mumbai, 1953.

  • IREL, Annual Report 1958–59, Indian Rare Earths Limited, Mumbai, 1959.

  • IREL, Annual Report 1988–89, Indian Rare Earths Limited, Mumbai, 1989.

  • IREL, Annual Report 1964–65, Indian Rare Earths Limited, Mumbai, 1965.

  • IREL, Annual Report 2015–16, Indian Rare Earths Limited, Mumbai, 2016.

  • Sinha, D. K., Emerging concepts in uranium exploration in India: an overview and way forward. In Vietnam Conference on Nuclear Science and Technology (VINANST-14). IAEA-CN-175/65, Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute and the Department of Science and Technology of Lam Dong Province, Da Lat city, Vietnam, 9–10 December 2021.

  • GSI-AMD, Strategic plan for enhancing REE exploration in India, 2020; https://amd.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/GSI_AMD_Vision_Document_REE.pdf

  • Thorat, D. D., Tripathi, B. M. and Sathiyamoorthy, D., Extraction of beryllium from Indian beryl by ammonium hydrofluoride. Hydrometallurgy, 2011, 109, 18–22.

  • Saha, S., Hydrometallurgy of beryllium in the Indian perspective. Miner. Process. Extract. Metall. Rev., 1994, 13, 43–52.

  • Sharma, B. P. and Sivasubramanian, N., Processing of beryllium for high technology applications. Miner. Proc. Extract. Metall. Rev., 1994, 13, 229–242.

  • Banerjee, D. C., Krishna, K. V. G., Murthy, G. V. G. K., Srivastava, S. K. and Sinha, R. P., Occurrence of spodumene in the rare metal bearing pegmatites of Marlagalla–Allapatna area, Mandya district, Karnataka. J. Geol. Soc. India, 1994, 44, 127–139.

  • Ramesh Babu, P. V., Rare metal and rare earth pegmatites of Central India. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min. India, 1999, 14, 59–78.

  • Banerjee, D. C., Rare metal and rare earth pegmatites of India: an overview and some perspectives. J. Expl. Res. Atomic Min., India, 1999, 12, 1–6.

  • Ramachar, T. M., Shivananda, S. R., Dwivedy, K. K. and Jayaram K. M. V., The rare metal and REE occurrences in South Bastar, Madhya Pradesh. Geol. Surv. India, Spec Publ., 1979, 13, 104–107.

  • Banerjee, D. C., Ranganathan, N., Maithani, P. B. and Jayaram, K. M. V., Rare metal bearing pegmatites in parts of southern Karnataka, India. J. Geol. Soc. India, 1987, 30, 507–513.

  • Jena, P. K., Gupta, C. K. and Taneja, A. K., The present status and the projected programme on niobium–tantalum metallurgy in India. National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur, 1969, vol. 3, pp. 173–180.

  • Bose, D. K., Pyrometallurgy of niobium, tantalum and vanadium – development work at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. Min. Process. Extract. Metall. Rev., 1992, 10(1), 217–237.


Abstract Views: 445

PDF Views: 210




  • Atomic minerals: journey of India to self-sufficiency

Abstract Views: 445  |  PDF Views: 210

Authors

Vivekanand Kain
Materials Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
D. K. Sinha
Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Begumpet 500 016, India
Deependra Singh
Indian Rare Earths Limited (India), Prabhadevi 400 028, India
C. K. Asnani
Uranium Corporation of India Ltd, Jaduguda 832 102, India

Abstract


Atomic minerals include mainly minerals containing uranium, thorium, rare metals, viz. niobium, tantalum, lithium, beryllium, titanium, zirconium, and rare earth elements (REEs) containing uranium and thorium as well as beach sand minerals. In India, these minerals are specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and a few of these minerals containing uranium, thorium, niobium, tantalum and beryllium are included in the list of ‘Prescribed Substances’ under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. After independence, different units of the Department of Atomic Energy have been playing a key role in making India self-reliant in these minerals and their processing. In the front end, the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research shoulders the responsibility for survey, exploration, and augmentation of atomic mineral(s) resources. The Uranium Corporation of India Limited is responsible for mining and processing of uranium ores, while the Indian Rare Earths (India) Limited caters to the mining of monazite-rich beach sands for recovery and processing of thorium and REEs. These three units of the DAE are ably supported by the Materials Group of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, for technology development for mineral beneficiation and processing to produce metals/alloys/compounds required to support the requirements for expanding the nuclear power programme of India.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv123%2Fi3%2F293-309