Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Nov 3: The Union Ministry of Mines has initiated a Critical Mineral Assessment Programme (CMAP) in North Goa’s Upse block to explore vanadium, scandium, and other valuable minerals found in lateritic rock formations. The initiative aims to identify potential zones of critical minerals essential for India’s clean energy and advanced technology sectors.
According to the Ministry, the global demand for critical minerals such as lithium, vanadium, scandium, cobalt, and rare earth elements has surged due to the growing shift toward renewable energy, electric mobility, and high-performance materials.
“With the rising need for critical minerals, exploring secondary sources has become vital. Among these, lateritic deposits have drawn much interest as a possible source of minerals such as scandium, vanadium, cobalt and nickel,” the Ministry said in a statement.
The Upse block, part of the Dharwar Supergroup of the late Archean age, contains meta-volcanic and meta-sedimentary rocks, granite, mafic-ultramafic complexes, metabasalt, laterite, and coastal alluvium. Its geology closely resembles that of the Goa Group, which corresponds to Karnataka’s Chitradurga Group.
Under CMAP, the Ministry plans systematic sampling on a one-kilometre grid and 25 kilometres of traverse mapping to analyse laterite types and identify formations associated with secondary mineralisation. Around 150 metres of drilling will be conducted through two to three scout boreholes based on initial findings.
Preliminary results from the G4 exploration stage have highlighted three key sub-blocks for deeper study — the Dumase-Menkure Block, shortlisted for G3-level exploration in 2025–26, and the Bhenale-Cansorvornem and Alorna Blocks, earmarked for future surveys.
An area of around 30 sq km in the southern Alorna LSM block, near the Upse sector, has shown notable concentrations of scandium, vanadium, and nickel, positioning it as a strong candidate for advanced exploration.
Earlier, the Ministry had also announced plans for thematic mapping and exploration of the Goa Schist Belt, part of the Shimoga-Goa supracrustal belt, to assess the potential for gold, copper, and rare earth elements (REEs). This study, scheduled to begin in the current financial year, will also include mapping of younger ultramafic and granitic formations around Ponda and Quepem talukas.