Raipur : Chhattisgarh has cleared 45 mineral exploration projects for 2026-27, including blocks containing lithium, graphite, rare earth elements and other critical minerals, as the state looks to expand its mineral resource base and step up exploration in southern Bastar.
Senior officials from the Geological Survey of India (GSI), state government and representatives of mining and mineral-based industries attended the meeting. The approved exploration programme also includes lithium and tin-tantalum-niobium deposits, underlining the state’s push to identify minerals considered important for strategic and emerging industries. The development comes after the state established resources of 2,590 million tonnes of limestone and 32.26 million tonnes of iron ore through exploration during 2025-26, officials said. Four exploration projects approved in 2025-26 will continue during the current financial year, while nine projects sanctioned under the National Programme for Exploration and Augmentation (NPEA) will also remain operational, officials said. Dayanand said the state received around ₹ 16,738 crore in mining royalty and other revenue during 2025-26.
“These are important achievements in the direction of mineral exploration in the state,” Special Secretary and Director, Geology and Mining, Rajat Bansal said. The board also called for faster mineral exploration in southern Bastar and the use of advanced technologies to assess deposits located deep underground, officials said.
