NEW DELHI, March 31: In a significant development, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found deposits of bauxite, lithium and additional limestones in different parts of Meghalaya which can enrich the hill state when mined.
The recent reconnaissance surveys have found the presence of bauxite in the Garo Hills region, with further deposits unearthed in the West Khasi Hills and East Khasi Hills region, according to ST Narahari, Director of GSI Training and Capacity Building Division for the state unit of Meghalaya. In the Rymrai area of West Khasi Hills, GSI has inferred substantial moderate quality bauxite resources, while significant reserves were found in another site at a village in East Khasi Hills.
The survey also shed light on favourable limestone deposits, especially high-grade reserves in Lithium Valley, East Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills, specifically in Cherrapunjee. The exploration by GSI in 29 blocks of East Jaintia Hills has unearthed about 566.04 million tonnes of limestone, with a single block in Cherrapunjee alone yielding an estimated 71.78 million tonnes.
This increases Meghalaya’s limestone resources to a staggering 5737.82 million tonnes, lifting its status as a state with high-quality limestone. Cement factories of the region consume a lot of limestones which are the main raw material for cement.
GSI is also expediting the exploration of rare earth elements (REE) and also investigating the presence of Germanium and Lithium, elements crucial for advanced technology, the official sources said. The initial surveys are being conducted to locate high-potential areas for these valuable resources, specifically in coal sediments of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills, it added.
The windfall discovery when materialised will boost economic and industrial prospects of the state.
