West Bengal's Purulia district: New rare earth mining hub
India's Geological Survey just kicked off advanced exploration in Purulia, West Bengal, and Assam's Karbi Anglong.
These spots could help India rely less on imports for rare earths—think materials that power everything from EVs to smartphones.
With ongoing exploration, these sites might hit the auction block within a year.
India pushes for mineral self-reliance
GSI found rare earth elements (REEs) in Purulia, though the exact mix isn't clear yet.
Extracting them is tricky since there are usually 14-17 minerals involved.
Plus, there are promising vanadium deposits in the lower Himalayan belt—useful for batteries and alloys.
To speed things up, the government plans to spend ₹1,345 crore to boost homegrown production of rare earth magnets (key for EV motors and wind turbines).
Lithium exploration is also underway as India pushes for mineral self-reliance.