Mineral Resources
Jharkhand is one of the leading mineral producing States. It is one of the leading producers of coal, kyanite, gold, silver, bauxite and felspar. Uranium ore is mined and processed by Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) for use as fuel in the country’s nuclear power reactors through four underground mines, one opencast mine, two processing plants and a by-product recovery plant, all in East Singhbhum district of the State. Jharkhand accounts for about 36% rock phosphate, 28% coal, 26% iron ore (hematite), 30% apatite, 22% andalusite, 18% copper ore and 5% silver ore resources of the country. Important minerals that occur in the State are bauxite in Dumka, Gumla, Latehar, Lohardaga and Palamau districts; china clay in Dumka, Hazaribagh, Lohardaga, East & West Singhbhum, Sahebganj and Ranchi districts; coal in Bokaro, Deoghar, Dhanbad, Giridih, Godda, Hazaribagh, Palamau, Pakur and Ranchi districts; copper in Hazaribagh and East Singhbhum districts; dolomite in Garhwa and Palamau districts; felspar in Deoghar, Dhanbad, Dumka, Giridih, Hazaribagh, Jamtara, Koderma, Latehar, Palamau and Ranchi districts; fireclay in Dhanbad, Dumka, Giridih, Godda, Hazaribagh, Latehar, Palamau, Ranchi and West Singhbhum districts; gold in East Singhbhum district; graphite in Palamau district; iron ore (hematite) in West Singhbhum district; iron ore (magnetite) in Gumla, Hazaribagh, Latehar, Palamau and East Singhbhum districts; kyanite in Saraikala-Kharsawan and West Singhbhum districts; limestone in Bokaro, Dhanbad, Garhwa, Giridih, Hazaribagh, Palamau, Ranchi, East & West Singhbhum districts; manganese ore in East & West Singhbhum districts; mica in Giridih and Koderma districts; ochre in West Singhbhum district; dunite/pyroxenite in East Singhbhum district; quartz/silica sand in Deoghar, Dhanbad, Dumka, Giridih, Godda, Hazaribagh, Jamtara, Koderma, Latehar, Palamau, Ranchi, Sahebganj, Saraikala-Kharsawan and West Singhbhum districts; and quartzite in East & West Singhbhum districts.
Other minerals that occur in the State are andalusite and rock phosphate in Palamau district; apatite, chromite, cobalt, nickel, gold and silver in East Singhbhum district; asbestos in East & West Singhbhum districts; barytes in Palamau and East Singhbhum districts; bentonite in Pakur and Sahebganj districts; garnet in Hazaribagh district; granite in Deogarh, Dhanbad, Dumka, Giridih, Godda, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Koderma, Lohardaga, Palamau, Ranchi and East Singhbhum districts; sillimanite in Hazaribagh district; talc/steatite/ soapstone in Giridih, Kodarma, Palamau, East & West Singhbhum districts; titanium minerals in Ranchi and East Singhbhum districts; and vermiculite in Giridih and Hazaribagh districts.
Reserves of important minerals in Jharkhand
The State can be roughly divided into 8 major zones based on raw material deposits and industrialization.
Palamau – Garhwa Deposits of Iron Ore, Dolomite, Coal, Graphite, China Clay and granite
Lohardaga Industrial Area Aluminium Industries based on bauxite reserves
Koderma – Hazaribagh Industrial Area Mica based Industries, Power, Cement, Glass, Alloy Steels, Telecom and Refractory
Ranchi Industrial Area Medium and Large Scale Industries
Dhanbad-Bokaro Industrial Area Coal and Steel
Singhbhum Industrial Area (Jamshedpur & Adityapur) Iron and Steel, Auto Component, Cement, Uranium, Copper and Gold Mining
Ghatsila Industrial Area Copper and Forest based Industries
Deoghar-Jasidih Oil Mills, Glass, Steel
Provisions in the state’s Industrial Policy to encourage Mines and Mineral based Industry
State Govt. proposes to allot mines/captive mines on preferential basis to the investing companies who have put up their plant in the State for value addition of the raw material.
Simplification of procedures and adoption of other methodologies for expeditious and time bound disposal of mines lease applications.
Grant of mining lease to potentially viable sick units which have previously generated adequate employment and revenue resources for the State Government will be preferred over industries situated outside the State.
Efforts being made to work out a mechanism for State ownership of 25% raw material being dispatched to other states in the country or exported to other countries.
Efforts also being made to allot more iron ore and coal mines to Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation (JSMDC) to enable the state owned company to enter into joint venture with other companies for taking up the development of these mines for supplying raw material to the needy industries of the state.
Comprehensive plan for development of railway network and other infrastructure for major mines of the state are also envisaged.