Remote sensing & aerial survey in southern Bihar to identify magnetite-bearing rocks & ultramafic rocks

Patna: The Bihar government has decided to sign an MoU with Geological Survey of India for conducting remote sensing and aerial survey of the southern part of the state to identify magnetic anomaly on the surface representing the presence of rocks having a higher content of ferrous and ferromagnesian minerals, an official said.

For the first time in Bihar, such a survey will be conducted by the Remote Sensing and Aerial Survey Division (RSAS), GSI (Bengaluru) in Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Nalanda and Jamui districts in the state, the official said.

"Approval has already been given for the signing of the MoU between Department of Mines and Geology (DMG) and RSAS-GSI. Now the MoU is being finalised. Once the MoU is signed, the final outcome of the studies/survey will be available within a year for further action," Additional Chief Secretary-cum Mines Commissioner, Harjot Kaur Bamrah told PTI on Sunday.

"Earlier, there was a perception that Bihar lost its mineral wealth following the creation of Jharkhand in 2000. In fact, Bihar has sufficient mineral resources to boost its economy", she said.

Anomaly that will be obtained by DMG will be checked by drilling to prove the presence of magnetite-bearing rocks as well as ultramafic rocks which usually host Chromite (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Platinum Group of Elements (PGE) and gold. This will help in enhancing the mineral resource potentiality of the state, the official said.

The survey will also identify the magnetic anomaly on the surface representing the presence of rocks having a higher content of ferrous minerals (representing iron with Vanadium-Titanium mineralisation), Bamrah said.

The aeromagnetic survey data of the Mahulan (Aurangabad), Patalganga (Jehanabad), Bathani (Nalanda) and Majos (Jamui) area (where magnetite with or without Vanadium – Titanium mineralisation are exposed intermittently) are required by the DMG for identification of subsurface magnetite/ultramafic band in the entire stretch, said the additional chief secretary.

Innovative mineral exploration activities using state-of-the-art technology by the concerned authority have already resulted in the discovery of several mineral reserves in different parts of the state in the recent past, said Bamrah.

The state government is also preparing to amend its 'Industrial promotion Policy' by including provisions to encourage private participation in the mining sector.

According to officials in the Department of Mines and Geology, suitable changes in Bihar Industrial promotion policy to encourage private participation in the mining sector, as it has been done by the Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments, will soon be brought.