(a) whether the Union Government has urged the State Governments to reassess the captive
mineral reserves and ensure optimal exploitation of minerals;
(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reaction of the States thereto;
(c) whether some new companies have shown interest in the mining sector and have sought
mines on lease;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI B.K. HANDIQUE)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERED TO IN REPLY TO STARRED QUESTION NO. 299 TO BE ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON
30th NOVEMBER, 2010 REGARDING CAPTIVE MINERAL RESERVES
(a) and (b): The National Mineral Policy, 2008, enunciates that in order to exploit the
country’s geological potential, regional and detailed exploration needs to be carried out
systematically in the entire geologically conducive mineral bearing area of the country using
state-of-art techniques in a time bound manner. It further lays down that zero waste mining
will be the national goal and mining technology will be upgraded to ensure extraction and
optimum utilisation of entire run-of-mines. The Central Government through Indian Bureau of
Mines has requested the State Governments and all the lease holders, including captive mines
to re-assess the mineral reserves in terms of the revised threshold values notified for
minerals.
(c) to (e): State Governments grant mineral concessions as the owner of the minerals and
all applications for grant of mineral concessions for non-fuel minerals are made to the State
Governments concerned. Details in this regard are not centrally maintained. Prior approval
of the Central Government is mandatory for grant of Mineral Concession for minerals in the
First Schedule to the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957. As per available
information, 86 prior approvals were conveyed to the State Governments by the Central
Government for grant of mining lease from 1.4.2009 to 25.11.2010.