Research and Development: In order to multidisciplinary geoscientific skills. AMD will understand the genesis and controls of uranium continue its exploration efforts to fullfil the atomic ATOMIC DIRECTORATE FOR mineralisation, basic research in the fields of minerals requirement of country’s nuclear power geology, geophysics, geochemistry and also programme. EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH (AMD) in allied topics such as physics, chemistry and electronics is being carried out.

Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration spectrometric and geophysical surveys1 to identify Other Activities: and Research (AMD) is one of the oldest units potential targets with abnormal radioelemental *AMD is also entrusted to carry out geological / of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and plays concentration. geotechnical studies related to site selection for an important role in the front and back end of nuclear power plants and repositories for the the nuclear fuel cycle. AMD was established as The potential areas delineated by heliborne disposal of radioactive wastes generated from Rare Minerals Survey Unit in 1949, subsequently surveys are taken up for ground reconnaissance these plants. renamed as Raw Materials Division (RMD) and radiometrics2 using portable gamma-ray *AMD provides professional and analytical brought under the Atomic Energy Commission measuring instruments such as Scintillometer, services. on October 3, 1950. RMD was later renamed as Gamma Ray Spectrometer etc., regional/detailed *AMD Studentship Programme has been initiated Atomic Minerals Division in 1958 and rechristened geological, geochemical (rock, soil, radon, water to impart basic field training and to encourage as Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and and stream sediments) and ground-geophysical university students to take up their dissertation Research (AMD) in 1998. From a small nucleus of (magnetic, electrical, electromagnetic and work, thereby strengthening the collaboration 17 earth scientists in 1950, AMD has grown into a seismic) surveys for further narrowing down the of AMD with academic institutions. Under the large organisation with the present strength of two target areas for detailed investigations. Once aegis of BRNS, collaborative research-projects thousand three hundred employees, comprising the uranium potentiality of an area is established are taken up on genetic aspects of uranium scientific, technical, administrative and auxiliary through physical examination of exposed deposits and related topics in order to formulate personnel. outcrops, the area is further explored for concealed exploration strategy and prioritise areas. mineralisation by evaluating and integrating both Mandate: The major role of AMD is to identify the heliborne and ground geophysical data. Over a period of seven decades AMD resources of Uranium (U), Thorium (Th), Niobium has emerged as an organisation of exemplary Please visit AMD’s website: http://www.amd.gov.in (Nb), Tantalum (Ta), Zirconium (Zr), Beryllium The areas having anomalous concentration (Be), Lithium (Li) and Rare Earth Elements (REE) of uranium (anomaly) and other favourable Our Motto - “Those Who Search Find” required for various programmes of DAE. parameters as identified from the above investigations are evaluated by prospecting Organisational Setup: The survey and (trenching, pitting, geological and structural exploration activities of the Directorate, with mapping, shielded probe logging and sampling) Headquarters at Hyderabad, are spread over the to establish the plan dimension of uranium country and are executed through seven Regional mineralisation. Further, exploration in three Centres, with Headquarters located at New stages (reconnoitory, exploratory and evaluation), Delhi, Bengaluru, Jamshedpur, Shillong, Jaipur, is carried out by drilling3 using conventional as Nagpur and Hyderabad. Besides, two sectional well as high-performing hydrostatic rigs to know offices operate from Thiruvananthapuram and the depth continuity of mineralisation. Based on Visakhapatnam to carry out beach sand minerals the gamma-ray logging of the boreholes and investigations. geological considerations, the three-dimensional configuration of the body is mapped and ore Exploration Methodology: The favourable reserve is estimated. In a few cases, exploratory target areas are initially identified based on the mining is also carried out to establish ore body interpretation of photogeological and remote configuration and obtaining bulk samples for sensing data and available geological information. physical benificiation and hydrometallurgical Info Sheet This is followed by heliborne gamma-ray studies of ore, as a prelude to commercial mining

This material can be used freely with acknowledgement.

AMD Website: http//www.amd.gov.in

Published by: Head, Planning and Management 1 2 Services Group, AMD, Hyderabad. Heliborne Geophysical Survey Radiometric and Geological Survey 7 9

Uranium mineralisation (Pitchblende veins) Heavy concentration at Chavara, Kerala. 3 4 in brecciated limestone, Gogi area, Karnataka (Inset: Sonic drilling for Beach sand minerals exploration)

Sub-surface exploration by crawler mounted Hydrostatic Rig Xenotime bearing concentrate Recovery stratabound type) and Lambapur-Peddagattu- Some of the other potential provinces are (Departmental) Plant, Chhattisharh Chitrial & Koppunuru (Unconformity related), Chhattisgarh basin in Chhattisgarh; Gwalior Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; Domiasiat & and Bijawar basins in M.P.; Vindhyan basin at a later stage by Uranium Corporation of India Pradesh and Teri (red coloured) sand occurring Wahkyn (Sandstone type), Meghalaya; Gogi7 in M.P. & U.P.; Aravalli Fold Belt, Rajasthan; Limited (UCIL). in the southern part of Tamil Nadu also contain (Granite related), Karnataka; Rohil (Metasomatite Kotri-Dongargarh belt and Surguja Shear Zone, AMD also carries out exploration, prospecting heavy minerals. type), Rajasthan and other small deposits. The Chhattisgarh. and exploitation of rare metals (Nb, Ta, Be and Li) stratabound carbonate-hosted uranium deposit and rare earth minerals (La to Lu & Y) in different Laboratory Support: The multidisciplinary at Tummalapalle, Andhra Pradesh is the single Resources (As on 31-12-2019): AMD has parts of the country. The insitu and eluvial soils, exploration programme of AMD is ably supported by Geochronology, Stable Isotope, Petro– largest deposit in India with more than 1,84,000t established: derived from the mechanical weathering of host insitu U O . mineralogy5, XRD, XRF, Electron Microprobe, 3 8 rocks, mainly mineralised complex pegmatites, * 3,25,0008 tonnes of uranium oxide under Mineral Technology, Radiometric and Chemical normally contain rare metal minerals namely UCIL is currently engaged in mining the indicated and inferred categories since its laboratories equipped with state-of-the art columbite-tantalite (niobium-tantalum), beryl deposits at Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar, inception. (beryllium) and spodumene & lepidolite (lithium). equipments like Gamma-ray spectrometer, INAA, Turamdih, Mohuldih, Bagjata and Banduhurang 8 The soil containing these minerals is excavated, Radon Measuring System (RMS), ICP-MS, ICP- in the state of Jharkhand and Tummalapalle in * Monazite (12.47 million tonnes) ; (648.35 treated and recovered in the plants normally AES, AAS, EDXRFS, WDXRFS, EPMA, IRMS Andhra Pradesh. Exploratory mining in Gogi, million tonnes); (33.95 million tonnes); zircon established near the source. Currently, such and TIMS. Minerals of U, Th, Nb-Ta, REE, Be & Yadgir district, Karnataka and Rohil, Sikar district, (35.75 million tonnes); garnet (187.46 million 6 recovery plants are in operation in Odisha and Li are identified on the basis of their characteristic Rajasthan have been taken up in order to define tonnes); and sillimanite (255.09 million tonnes) Karnataka. Some of the streams in Chhattisgarh radioactive, mineralogical, physical and chemical the parameters for commercial scale mining. in the beach and inland placers of Maharashtra, and Jharkhand also contain higher concentrations properties. Karnataka, Kerala9, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh Thrust / Potential areas: The thrust areas of yttrium bearing placer mineral (xenotime), which and Odisha; inland placers in parts of Bihar & Major Achievements: In India, the survey and currently under exploration include: (a) is currently recovered through recovery plant West Bengal and Teri red sand in Tamil Nadu. exploration for atomic minerals commenced in Tummalapalle-Kanampalle sector, Kadapa district established in Chhattisgarh4. the early 1950’s in the known copper provinces and Sarangapalli, Guntur district (Cuddapah * Columbite-Tantalite (Nb-Ta), spodumene & The beach sands of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, of Singhbhum Shear Zone (SSZ), Jharkhand basin), Andhra Pradesh; (b) Kanchankayi (Bhima lepidolite (Li) and beryl (Be) in the pegmatites of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and at Umra-Udaisagar sector, Rajasthan. The Basin), Yadgir district, Karnataka; (c) Jahaz-Maota Bastar district, Chhattisgarh; Jharsuguda district, and parts of Gujarat contain rich concentration first uranium deposit (metamorphite type) was and Guman Singh ki Dhani (North Delhi Fold Odisha; Mandya district, Karnataka and in parts of of heavymineral resources of (ilmenite, located in the SSZ near Jaduguda. By 1970, Belt), Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts, Rajasthan; Bihar and Jharkhand. leucoxene and rutile), zirconium (zircon), REEs many uranium deposits were established along (d) Narwapahar, Kudada, Jaduguda North and (monazite) besides magnetite. All these minerals the 160 km long arcuate belt of SSZ, which Banadungri-Singridungri, East Singhbhum district * Xenotime (Y & HREE) in the riverine placers of occur as placers in the sand. AMD identifies such include Jaduguda, Narwapahar, Bhatin, Bagjata, (SSZ), Jharkhand; (e) Wahkyn-Wahkut (Mahadek Siri River in Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh; Deo heavy mineral rich placer sand regions along the Turamdih, Banduhurang, Keruadungri, Kanyaluka, basin), West Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya; River in Gumla district, Jharkhand and in apatite coast, and estimates the resources of individual Mohuldih, Nandup, etc. (f) Naktu (Chhotanagpur Granite Gneiss – magnetite veins at Kanyaluka, East Singhbhum minerals. The sand containing heavy mineral Complex), Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh; (g) district, Jharkhand. Further, REE exploration is Survey and exploration based on conceptual resources are mined and treated in the plants Dharangmau (Satpura Gondwana basin), Betul being carried out in Ambadongar Carbonatite geological models, carried out in different terrains operated by M/s Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL). district, Madhya Pradesh and (h) Rajpura (Siwalik Complex, Chhota Udepur district, Gujarat and of the country resulted in the discovery of uranium The inland placer sands of Odisha and Andhra basin), Una district, Himachal Pradesh. Siwana Ring Complex, Barmer district, Rajasthan. deposits at Tummalapalle (Carbonate hosted

Uranium Resources Monazite (Thorium - 9 to 10%) Resources Maharashtra 0.004Mt Jharkhand 0.21Mt Jharkhand Gujarat 0.003Mt West Bengal 1.20Mt Andhra Pradesh 70,711t Uraninite Monazite Columbite- Kerala Andhra Tantalite 1,84,580t 1.84Mt Pradesh Meghalaya 23,268t 3.69Mt

Tamil Nadu Odisha Telangana 18,550t 2.46Mt 3.06Mt Uttarakhand 100t Xenotime Beryl Lepidolite Maharashtra 355t Rajasthan 12,434t 5 6 Himachal Pradesh 784t Karnataka 6,686t Uttar Pradesh 785t Chhattisgarh 3,986t 8 Atomic Minerals containing uranium, thorium, Petromineralogical Studies niobium-tantalum, lithium, beyllium and REE (clockwise) Info Sheet Uranium and Monazite (Thorium - 9 to 10%) resources of India (Statewise)