August 06, 2001
‘44’
LOK SABHA
GRAPHITE RESERVES IN INDIA
The total recoverable reserves of Graphite in the country as on April 01, 1995, as per information available with Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), a subordinate Office of Ministry of Mines, was 4579476 tonnes. The State-wise reserves of Graphite are Andhra Pradesh 219128, Bihar 389678, Gujarat 16644, Karnataka 262500, Kerala 533262, Madhya Pradesh 10128, Maharashtra 870000, Orissa 1353444, Rajasthan 501776 and Tamil Nadu 422916 tonnes. There were 40 graphite mines who had reported production in 1999-2000, and 82 per cent of production was accounted for by mines in the private sector, including production from mining leases held by M/s T.P.Minerals Ltd., Diamond Graphite Industries, Pramod Kumar Agarwal, Prabhas Chandra Agarwal, K.K.Poddar, Natwar Lal Agrawal and Mohd. Zafarulla.
For conservation and systematic development of minerals including graphite and also for environmental protection, Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR), 1988 have been framed under Section 18 of the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. MCDR is monitored by the Central Government through IBM. Mining operations are carried out according to the mining plan approved by IBM. Compliance of the mining plan stipulation is being checked from time to time through inspections by IBM officers. In case of irregularities, the same are pointed out by IBM under the appropriate provisions of MCDR for compliance/rectification.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Mines Shri Jayasingrao Gaikwad Patil in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.