Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines, with its sophisticated state-of-the-art technologies and equipments acquired recently, is taking up deeper level exploration activities and National Geo-chemical Mapping with more details. GSI scientists would achieve further excellence in exploration and research with modernisation of its laboratories during the field season 2005-06, today said the Mines Secretary, Shri A.K.D. Jadhav, chairing the 40th Central Geological Programming Board Meeting of GSI. He said, the Government has decided to increase the strength of scientific and technical personnel in GSI from 2,916 to 3,500 within three years. Once a system of career progression is evolved and implemented, the scientists of GSI would get further motivation and inspiration for achieving excellence in their respective fields.
The Secretary informed that the Planning Commission has agreed in principle for acquisition of a heliborne aerogeophysical survey system, which includes a helicopter, and sophisticated geophysical equipment for gravity, magnetic, radiometric and time domain electro-magnetic survey. It has also agreed for acquisition of a blue water research vessel for marine survey. The process of acquiring the heliborne system and the vessel has been initiated. All these would accelerate GSI's pursuit for discovery of concealed deposits on land and gaining knowledge about the sea floor of the extended EEZ.
GSI is in the process of developing its portal this year with the twin objectives of hosting available information for users across the globe and facilitating all transactions through e-mode. This will help disseminate earth science knowledge in the public domain on demand. It has launched a massive programme of digitizing its data, both non-spatial and spatial. The former has been completed and the latter is in its final stage. GSI's database will form and important input for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.
Outlining the achievements of the last field season, the Secretary said, identification of new coal bearing areas has augmented the coal reserves of the country by 2,154.43 million tonnes. The lignite resources now stand at 37.15 billion tonnes. Four new kimberlite pipes in Andhra Pradesh have been located. Besides, low grade copper at shallow depth in Dokan-Kundla ki dhani area in extension of Baniwala-ki-Dhani in Rajasthan, lead-zinc-copper in Bhuyari area in Betul belt in Madhya Pradesh and manganese in Bonai-Keonjhar and bauxite in Sundargarh, both in Orissa, are some of the new finds of GSI during this period. It has taken up the gigantic task of preserving the cores generated through drilling operations during mineral exploration programme for our future studies.
GSI took up studies in the Tsunami affected areas of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and along the east coast of India immediately after the catastrophe. It established 14 GPS stations to monitor crustal adjustment after the Sumatra earthquake by campaign mode survyes. Six micro-earthquake recording stations were established to monitor the aftershocks.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has declared GSI as the nodal agency for studies on landslide hazards in the country. It has taken a lead in national Antarctica Expedition since its inception in 1981. So far, 19,000 sq. km. of area has been mapped by GSI geologists in the icy continent. During the coming field season which starts in October, studies will be carried out from the third Antarctica station.
The Board unanimously requested the Government that iron ore exploration which has not been pursued for the last two decades should be vigorously taken up now by GSI and Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL). The demand for iron ore requires that such exploration should be resumed. The Planning Commission should be moved to get approval to start iron ore exploration particularly for hematite and magnetite. The Board also felt that the north-eastern region should get more attention to explore its mineral potentials.
The Director-General, GSI, Dr. K.N. Mathur, gave a brief account of the work carried out by GSI during 2004-05 and outline of work programme for the field season 2005-06. Dr. Mathur said, with the near exhaustion of surface resources, it has been imperative to have multi-disciplinary approach including multi-sensor aero-geophysical mode for locating concealed mineral deposits. In the programmes for 2005-06, some selected ongoing activities will be intensified and priorities will be rescheduled. The basic guiding factor remains the effort to strike a balance between the market driven force and the issue of non-renewable nature of mineral resources requiring need-based conservation. A report on the Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake was released in the meeting.
DS/SCH
(Release ID :12176)