Dr. Asit Saha, Director General of the Geological Survey of India (GSI), is a gold medalist in Geology from the University of Kolkata with over three decades of professional geoscience experience. He holds a Master’s in Geoinformatics from the University of Twente, Netherlands. Leading GSI’s transformation under the National Critical Mineral Mission, Dr.Saha champions outcome-oriented exploration through 1,200 pan-India projects targeting rare earth self-reliance. His strategic vision integrates advanced geoscience methodologies, international partnerships with Geoscience Australia and British Geological Survey, and capacity building initiatives to position India as a global knowledge leader in sustainable rare earth exploration and extraction.
In this exclusive conversation with Naresh Nunna of Neo Science Hub, he explains how GSI is moving from reconnaissance to G2-level, auction-ready rare earth blocks while candidly acknowledging that India’s real bottleneck now lies in midstream and downstream processing, not exploration. He details coordinated work with IBM, CSIR-IMMT, AMD and NCMM Centres of Excellence to integrate beneficiation, metallurgical characterization and techno-economic inputs into GSI’s reports, so deposits can transition faster from discovery to mining and value-addition. He also outlines GSI’s new thrust on secondary resources and offshore prospects, and how upgrading the GSI Training Institute, alongside global collaborations, aims to make India a knowledge leader in sustainable critical mineral exploration.
GSI has launched G2-level exploration in Purulia and KarbiAnglong targeting 14-17 rare earth minerals. What specific challenges does this geological diversity pose for extraction and processing? What is your timeline for completing G2 exploration reports, and how does GSI ensure these exploration outcomes translate into actual mining block auctions and production rather than remaining speculative assessments?
The REE prospects in Purulia, West Bengal and KarbiAnglong in Assam, represent two distinct geological environments that host rare earth and associated minerals. Purulia contains REEs within alkaline complexes and nepheline syenites, while KarbiAnglong forms part of a carbonatite complex with multiple intrusive phases within ultramafic rocks. This results in a wide variation in REE-bearing mineralogy varying from REE silicates, oxides, carbonates and phosphates etc. making the extraction of REEs a potentially challenging process. As G2 stage exploration is ongoing in both areas, it is premature to assess the extractable potential of REEs or associated other critical commodities. These two G-2 stage exploration in these resource-bearing blocks will be available for auction next year. Early-stage metallurgical characterisation carried out by IBM or CSIR, IMMT will be integrated into G2 projects to support realistic beneficiation and processing assumptions.
GSI is also doing extensive exploration for REEs across India. Encouraging results have been reported from the Siwana area in Balotra district of Rajasthan, where advanced G3 and G2 stage work is underway, and from the AmbaDongar area in ChhotaUdepur district of Gujarat, where G2 stage exploration has been completed. Elevated REE-bearing minerals have also been identified in in-land placer and residual soil settings in eastern Maharashtra, where GSI has completed G3 stage work in recent past.
After completion of each G3/G2 projects, the resource assessment and reporting are carried out in formats aligned with MMDR Act and auction requirements, ensuring clear block boundaries, coordinates, resource estimation, resource categories etc. The resource assessment carried out by GSI bears an appropriate level of confidence corresponding to the stage of exploration. Further, the classification of these resources is assigned as per the UNFC norms, which serve as the internationally accepted standard for resource classification, and hence can not be considered as speculative in any sense.Subsequent to resource estimation, GSI also works closely with Ministry of Mines so that identified REE-bearing blocks are appropriately prioritised in their auction schedules.
At the same time, it is recognised that the transformation of exploration success into active mining and industrial production requires several complementary steps beyond exploration. For many minerals, particularly in the critical and strategic category; the real challenge lies in addressing the myriad challenges that lie beyond the mandate of GSI. The bottleneck today, particularly in the case of critical minerals, is not exploration but the absence of industry scale midstream and downstream capabilities in the country. Exploration identifies ore bodies, but their commercial viability depends on beneficiation, concentration, chemical processing, separation, smelting, and refining, processes that are technologically complex, capital-intensive, and require specialised expertise in fields such as hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, process scale-up, and tailings management. Without such midstream facilities, even auctioned blocks cannot seamlessly transition into production. The downstream challenge is equally significant; converting intermediates into final products such as permanent magnets, lithium-ion battery components, and vanadium redox flow batteries requires industrial ecosystems that are still nascent in India
Under the Critical Mineral Mission, GSI is responsible for 1,200 exploration projects. However, exploration alone doesn’t guarantee production, it requires rapid transition to mining, processing, and value addition. How is GSI coordinating with IREL, CSIR labs, and private companies to ensure that GSI’s geological discoveries become operational rare earth supply chains rather than inventory of known but unexploited deposits?
As part of G2-stage resource-bearing exploration reports, GSI incorporates the laboratory beneficiation study results generated by IBM for critical minerals. This provides first-hand information on feasible beneficiation methods that can support effective extraction and aid in developing the techno-economic viability of the prospects for stakeholders seeking mining licences. GSI also holds an MoU with CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar, under which IMMT is developing beneficiation processes for critical minerals from various REE deposits and prospects explored by GSI across the country. GSI believes that beneficiation is a challenge and by including the results of such studies from premier institutes like IBM and IMMT can help in fast-tracking the transition of a deposit to mining phase, in-turn paving the way for development of sustainable midstream and downstream value chain.
Apart from the above, GSI is also actively engaged in the exchange of exploration data with AMD, ER which supports coordinated assessments and strengthens the overall understanding of identified mineral prospects.
GSI is initiating marine exploration for polymetallic nodules containing rare earths. Simultaneously, India generates 10 million tonnes of red mud annually from alumina production. How is GSI systematically mapping opportunities in secondary sources, red mud, e-waste, industrial tailings, alongside primary mining? Should GSI establish dedicated divisions or partnerships focused on urban mining and waste resource extraction?
GSI has delineated potential zones of Nickel cobalt bearing ferro manganese crusts and nodules from Andaman Sea and Lakshadweep Sea over an area of 137100 sq.km. G4 level surveys have been completed in 60955 sq.km and 7 blocks have been handed over to MoM for auction for composite license. The crusts and nodules have average Ni content of 0.5% and Co -0.2%, REE of 0.2% and other values 1 ppm of PGE. Further offshore exploration is in progress.
GSI has already identified the secondary enrichment potential in laterites, bauxites and other regolithswhich promises great potential. With this backdrop, GSI has already launched Critical Mineral Mapping Programme or CMAP in pan-India scale since FS 2024-25 to explore the vast regolith profiles across India. Under this programme encouraging results for Ti-Ni-V-Ga has been obtained from various parts of India. High Ni-content is reported from laterites developed in Nagaland, Odisha, while elevated Ti-V values have been obtained from western Maharashtra. Such results have paved the way for targeting secondary mineralisation in the country. Alongside CMAP, GSI has also carried out few projects in mine-dumps in Odisha which has indicated significant amount of Ni in soils developed in mine-dump areas in Odisha. GSI’s primary focus is on harnessing primary natural resources from the earth’s crust.
However, GSI is actively collaborating with IBM, CSIR-IMMT and other academic institutes (COEs under NCMM)of repute in India for exploration and extraction of critical minerals from the both primary as well as secondary sources in India.
You’ve emphasized elevating the GSI Training Institute in Hyderabad to National Institute of Geoscience status and strengthening peer-reviewed publications. How will this academic elevation enhance GSI’s rare earth research capabilities? What international partnerships or technology transfer agreements is GSI pursuing with global geoscience organizations to position India as a knowledge leader in rare earth exploration and sustainable extraction?
Upgrading the GSI Training Institute in Hyderabad into a National Institute of Geoscience will significantly strengthen India’s rare earth capabilities by enabling specialised academic programmes on critical minerals, advanced laboratory facilities for mineral analysis and modelling, and a stronger focus on high-quality research output. It will provide a platform for skill development for students, researcher and industry professionals alongside GSI scientists. The enhanced institute will also support faster translation of field data into interpretation and publications, while expanding cooperation with international agencies. As a part of its training and capacity building initiative GSI is collaborating with Geoscience Australia, British Geological Survey and other international geoscience institutes, executing Joint research, training and exchange programmes in the field of critical mineral exploration using mineral system approach and advanced techniques including AI ML. This will help India to adopt global best practices in rare earth mineral targeting and exploration.
GSITI has recently achieved a major milestone by securing the “Utkṛṣṭ / Very Good” accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET) under the Capacity Building Commission’s national standards, an upgrade from its previous “Atiuttam” rating. This reflects the institute’s improved academic rigour, quality assurance, and training excellence.
GSI’s goal is that, within this decade, India is recognised not only for having substantial rare earth resources, but also for leadership in knowledge, methods and sustainable value chain development. GSI’s exploration work, GSITI’s role in skill development and our network of domestic and international partners are all being aligned to realize that outcome.
