Asit Saha, Director General, Geological Survey of India

India’s lack of industry-scale knowledge of extracting and processing critical minerals is the “biggest stumbling block” preventing the country from taking the lead in this space, Asit Saha, Director General, Geological Survey of India, said on Friday.

While India has been a “powerhouse” when it comes to mining of bulk minerals, when it comes to mining of new age minerals, the country still does not have the industry-scale knowledge on extraction and processing of these minerals, Saha said at Assocham’s Minerals and Mining Conclave in Kolkata.

“Historically, India has been a giant, a powerhouse, as far as bulk mineral mining is concerned. We are very comfortably placed as far as iron ore, limestone, chromite, bauxite are concerned. But when we talk about new age minerals, we are absolutely at the low-end. It is not only because of clearances. It is not only because of land acquisition issues and environmental issues. There are other factors which we need to take into account. We still do not have the industry-scale knowledge of how to extract and process these minerals. That is, I feel, the biggest stumbling block, which is preventing us from taking the lead,” said the Director General of Geological Survey of India.

small scale

According to Saha, mining of critical minerals and rare earth elements, which are relatively small scale, calls for a separate strategy and thinking, as against bulk mining.

“Having a mindset of bulk mining of iron ore, limestone and bauxite, we think of developing a mine which would run for 30, 40, 50 years...This is not going to happen as far as critical minerals and rare earth elements are concerned. . There are hardly any critical mineral deposits which will give this scale. They are very small,” he added.

Speaking at the event, Pukhraj Nenival, Controller of Mines (East Zone), Indian Bureau of Mines, Ministry of Mines, said critical minerals have emerged as a strategic currency of geopolitical influence. “Lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements, graphite and copper are no longer ordinary commodities. They have become strategic national assets. The global race is no longer for oil fields, it is now for minerals value chain,” Nenival said.

Sarmistha Ghosh, Assistant Director, Directorate of Mines and Minerals, said West Bengal has good critical deposits in the mineral bearing districts and the Directorate of Mines and Minerals has requested Geological Survey of India to work on it. In some cases, it is also looking to work jointly with GSI.

Published on June 19, 2026