MINERAL RESOURCES OF NORTH-EAST INDIA

 North east India is rich in mineral resources.

Some important mineral resources are
petroleum, coal, Limestone , gas etc.
 A mineral is a pure inorganic substance that
occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust in such form
and quantity and of such a grade or quality that
it has reasonable prospects for economic
extraction
 All of the Earth’s crust, except the rather small
proportion of the crust that contains organic
material, is made up of minerals.
 A mineral deposit is a concentration of
naturally occurring solid, liquid, or
gaseous material, in or on the Earth’s
crust in such form and amount that its
extraction and its conversion into useful
materials or items are profitable now or
may be so in the future. Mineral
resources are non-renewable and
include metals (e.g. iron, copper, and
aluminium), and non-metals (e.g. salt,
gypsum, clay, sand, phosphates).
 Minerals are valuable natural resources
being finite and non-renewable. They
constitute the vital raw materials for
many basic industries and are a major
resource for development.
Management of mineral resources has,
therefore, to be closely integrated with
the overall strategy of development;
and exploitation of minerals is to be
guided by long-term national goals and
perspectives.
 Minerals in general have been
categorized into three classes’ fuel,
metallic and non-metallic. Fuel minerals
like coal, oil and natural gas have been
given prime importance as they
account for nearly 87% of the value of
mineral production whereas metallic
and non-metallic constitutes 6 to 7%.
 Coal, oil and natural gas are the basic
fossil fuel. We have good reserves for
coal but are very poor in more essential
fuel — oils and natural gas.

 North-east India has a large reserves of coal,
especially in Assam & Meghalaya.

 Quality of coal is not good, it contain high organic
sulpher (upto 3%) & low carbon.

 Coal reserved found in N. E. India is belong to
Gondwana & Tertiary ages.

 Gondwana coal present in disjoint order along
Himalayan foot hill from Bhutan Duars to Sadiya.

 Tertiary coal deposits found in two group of
geological beds-

 Lower Tertiary deposits are found in South Garo,
Khasi & Jaintia Hills & in Karbi Anglong.

 Middle & Upper Tertiary deposits are found in
Ledo-Jaipur-Naginimara of Assam.
1. Upper Assam Region: Miao Bum in Changlang district
of Arunachal Pradesh in the east to Nichuguard at
Nagaland foothills, south of Dimapur. Important coal
field of the region are-
i. The Makum Coalfield- Located in Burhi Dihing valley
in east and south of Margherite. Mines located at
Borgolai, Ledo, Tipang & Namdang. These field
estimated to hold 191 million tone of coal.
ii. Jaipur-Dili Fields- Located in Tirap foothills of
Dibrugarh districts between the river Burhi-Dihing &
Dili. Mines located at Lakadong. These field
estimated to hold 28 million tone of coal.
iii. Naginimara Fields- Located at foothills south of
Nazira. Important mining center at Naginimara.
These field estimated to hold10 million tone of coal.
2. Karbi Anglong Coal Deposits: Important coal
field are-
i. Longloi Deposits- Located at Longloi 40km west of
Barpathar. High portion of impurities present.
ii. Silbheta Deposits- Western side of Karbi Anglong to
north of Dimapur-Nagaon Road & covers1.4 sq.km.
These field estimated to hold 15.7 million tone of
good quality coal.
iii. Kailajan Deposits- Located at Kailajan 28km of west-
north-west side of Karbi Anglong. Good quality coal.
iv. Kharbhaman Deposits- Western side of Kharbhaman
Hills. The estimated reserve is 0.6 million tone of
coal.
I. The Garo Hills Deposits- Good quality of coal are
found. Important fields are located at Darranggiri,
Rongrengiri, Harigaon, Siju-Simsang valley, &
Nangalbibra. This reserve contain 125 million tone.
II. The Khasi Hills Deposits- In Khasi hill found in
several places- Langrim, Um-Rileng, Mowbeth-
Larkar, south Shillong, Mowsynram, etc. Coal mined
are- i. Um-Rileng mines, ii. Mowbeth- Larkar mines,
iii. Mowlong, Rangsanobo & Laitnyngrew mines.
III. The Jaintia Hills Deposits- Located at Jarain,
Bapung, Jowai, Sutunga, Lakadong, Jaintiapur. Head
stream region of Kapili River.
NORTH-EAST INDIA
COAL RESERVES

Map not to Scale

 Nagaland: Tertiary coal found in Dikhu
valley of Mon District, Changkekon-
Jopukong region of Mokokchung district.
 Arunachal Pradesh: Gandwana coal
deposits found Himalaya foothills in the
west & east of Kameng districts.
Tertiary coal are present in Namphuk &
Namchik valley of Changlang districts
continuation with Ledo-Borgolai fields.
 Manipur: Lignite coal found in Tureloo
valley of Churachandpur district.
 Tripura: Coal is of Tertiary period
contain impurities like organic sulphur.
Found in Kailashahar near Tripura-
Bangladesh border.
 Sikkim: GSI explore around Namchi
(South district) has a resource of 1.4
lakh tonnes of bituminous to semi-
anthracite coal, analyzing 40 to 60%
fixed carbon.
Source: ref, coal news, natural energy resources, GSI, vol.31
 petroleum has been formed over a
period of millions of years, through
conversion of remains of micro
organisms living in sea, into hydrocar­
bon by heat, pressure and catalytic
action. The petroleum on fractional
distillation and further processing
provides us nu­merous products and by-
products.
 Petroleum products obtained through
fractional distillation are Petrol, Diesel,
Kerosene, Naphtha, Fuel oil, Asphalt.
 Assam: It is oldest oil producing state in India.
The oil bearing deposits of these fields belong to the
Barail & Tipam sandstones beds & lie at a depth of
320km. Main oilfields are-
1. The Digboi field- Located in the north east of Tipam
hills in Dibrugarh, which cover 13sq km area & oil
available at 40-200km depth. The most important
are Digboi, Bappapang, Hassapang & Paintola.
2. The Naharkatiya field- Located at south west of
Digboi & left bank of Burhi Dibing river.
3. The Moran- Hugrijan field- West of Naharkatiya &
production started in 1954.
4. Other fields are Rudrasagar, Lakwa, Galeki, Amguri,
& Barhola.
 Arunachal Pradesh- Oil reserves at Kharsang,
Kumchi, Manabhum, & Charali.
 Nagaland- Petroleum struck at Champang in
Mokokchung district of Nagaland.
 STATE-WISE CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION TRENDS (in ‘000 Million tonne)

Year 2008- 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

09
Arunachal 103 129 116 118 120 111
Pradesh

Assam 4674 4743 4724 5025 4863 4709

Source- Government of India Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

 Natural gas is mainly found in Assam, Tripura, &
Arunachal Pradesh
 In Assam, producing area are upper Brahmaputra
Valley, especially Naharkatiya, Moran, Lakwa, and
Rudrasagar, contain ‘associated natural gas’, Barak
Valley contain ‘free natural gas’.
 Nagaland- ONGC has investigated gas seepages have
been noticed in western foot hills and Schuppen belt.
 Tripura- 11 gas field found in Tripura. Gojalia,
Manikyanagar, Konaban, Sonamura, etc. GCS location
are Konaban, Rokhia, Agartala Dome, & Baramura.
STATE-WISE NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION TRENDS ( Million Standard
Cubic Metre Per Day (MSCMD))

Year 2008- 2009- 2010- 2011- 2012- 2013-

09 10 11 12 13 14

Arunachal 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

Pradesh

Assam 7 7.4 7.4 8 8 8.1

Tripura 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.8 2.3

Source- Government of India Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

 Small quantity of
Iron has been
found, which
contain low
proportion (41%) of
iron.
 Assam-
i. First reserve area are north- western foothills of Tirap
& Nagaland. Mines are located at Jaipur, Tipam, Tiru
Pahar, & Telpung.
ii. Second reserve area are Dhubri district around
Bilasipara hills, especially at Chandardinga hills at
Melajgarh.
iii. Third reserve area are Meghalaya foothills of Kamrup
& Goalpara districts at Nalanga Beel, Kumri hills,
Langupara hills, etc.
 A small deposit found in
Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur &
Nagaland.
 Assam- Mahamaya hills of
Bagribari area of Dhurbi
district & Barduar area of
Kamrup district.
 Meghalaya- Umpirtha &
Ranighat.
 Limestone is an important mineral which is
used in manufacture of cement as flux in
iron and steel production, as a raw material
for chemical industry and for white washing
buildings and walls.
 Of the seven states,largest reserve of
limestone in Meghalaya followed by
Arunachalpradesh, Nagaland, Assam and
Manipur. It is also found in small quantities
in Mizoram and Tripura.
 In Meghalaya Limestone is found along the
southern part of the state almost all
throughout its length from the southern
Garo hills district to the border of
Meghalaya and Assam .
 In Assam limestone occurs in a number of
places in the Karbi plateau. In the border
region between Meghalaya,North Cachar
hills.Hemran sub division there are
limestone deposits in the Kopili and
Kharkhor river valleys. The Diphu and
Bokajan sub divisions of Karbi Anglong also
have rich reserve of limestone.
 In Arunachalpradesh limestone has been
discover at Tela Tidding area of Lohit
district.Dali,Mega and Kabbu in Siang
district also have rich deposite of limestone.
 Limestone is available in Manipur in
Chandel and Ukhrul district.lt also found at
Hungdung, Mova, and Khangoi of Chandel
district.The deposits of Manipur generally
carry 34% to 53% of lime.
 In Nagaland high grade limestone deposits
have been discovered in various places of
Phek
 and Tuensang district.There is
calcareous tufa type limestone in
Chakhabam of Kohima and Dibuia of
Mokokchung.
 In Tripura silicious limestone deposits
have been located Shakan range,but no
production has so far been achieved.
 North east India is famous for
silliminate reserves after that of
petroleum. Silliminate is a valuable
mineral that is used in the manufacture
for automobiles and glass industry.
 Meghalaya and Assam are two areas
where this mineral has been found.
 In Meghalaya silliminate deposits over a
belt of 320 km2 in the Sonapahar –
Lalmati area in the northwestern corner
of west Khasi hills.
 In Assam , Karbi Anglong the mineral
has been discovered at
Chippilangso,Amterang,Bamuni and
Chelabo areas.Among them
Chippilangso are highest .
 It is used in construction aggregate,
cement manufacture, dimension stone,
calcined to produce lime, sometimes an
oil and gas reservoir, a source of
magnesia for the chemical industry,
agricultural soil treatments,
metallurgical flux
 The dolomite deposits of the Northeast
India are so far found in Arunachal
pradesh and Meghalaya.
 In Arunachal pradesh it deposits have
been discovered at Rupa and Dedza
over an area in Kameng
district.Although no large scale
commercial exploration of this mineral
has so far been taken up, it holds out
great prospect for future.
 Gypsum uses include: manufacture of
wallboard, cement, plaster of Paris, soil
conditioning, a hardening retarder in
Portland cement. Varieties
of gypsum known as "satin spar" and
"alabaster" are used for a variety of
ornamental purposes, however their low
hardness limits their durability.
 They are found in Assam, Meghalaya and
Nagaland of the region.
 In Assam it is found in the Dimasa Reserve
Forest of Karbi hills,near Badarpur of
Cachar
 district and near Haflong and Mahur of
North Cachar district.
 In Meghalaya Gypsum deposits are
confined to the Garo hills area espacially
near Mahendraganj,
Garobadha,Mariangpara,Mongopara and
Tarapara.
 In Nagaland it is discovered in Tuensang
district.
 Asbestos is a mineral used to manufacture
roofing sheets, fireproof garments, Curtains,
Insulating mats, filter pads for acids besides
various chemicals.
 The deposits of this mineral has also been
reported from Moreh, Nepalibasti, Kwatha
areas of the Chandel district of Manipur.
 In Arunachal pradesh near Payani in Mishmi
hills there are some asbestos deposits.
 This minerals have been found in the Tizu
Valley between Panchini and Kurani and near
the Gedu river close to Mayanmer border in
the Phek district of Nagaland.
 In Northeast ,glass sand has so far been
found in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.
 In Meghalaya Umstow and
Alugumadam areas of Khasi hills and
Siju and Tura areas of Garo hill .
 Tripura’s reserve is small and
distributed over Bijoynandi Cherra,
Jogendranagar, Kalinagar,and Purba
Champamura.
 North east India, espacially Assam is very
rich in various types of clay used in
industries.
 There are three types of clay such as Faller’s
earth, Fire clay, China clay.
 A low grade Faller’s earth is found at
Bhutankhuti and Shubankhata in the
northern part of Nalbari district of Assam.
 Fire clay is also used in cement and glass
industry.It is found in Upper Assam , Karbi
Anglong.
 China clay is used in manufacture
sanitary and electrical goods
industries.
 In Northeast India it is found in Karbi
Anglong, Golaghatand Lakhimpur
district in Assam and Mawphlong of
Meghalaya.
 It is found in Sadiya ,Jaipur, Mohong and
Barhat of the Brahmaputra valley along the
foothills.
 In Nagaland it is located in Kohima,
Tuensang, Phek district.
 In Manipur they are present along the
foothills in the eastern part of Manipur
basin and Ukhrul district.
 Infact, salt is still prepared for domestic use
in some of the hill areas of Northeast India.
 also called lead glance, is the natural
mineral form of lead(II) sulfide. It is the
most important ore of lead and an
important source of silver
 A moderate reserve of Galena has been
discovered in Mawmaram area of east
Khasi hills of Meghalaya.
 Very recently a deposit of mercury has
been found at a small zone in
Bangeswar river in Tripura by the
Geological Survey Of India and Science
and Technology Department of Tripura.
 North-east India is fairly rich in mineral
resources . These resources are very
important in our present and also economic
activity . Now-a-days , the Geological Survey
of India and the department of Geology and
Mining of each of the states of each region
are exploring and reserves of various
economic minerals . Thus , it is necessary to
conserve the mineral resources for our
present as well as future purposes .
 REFERRENCES
 Geography of North-east India
 Author : Taher & Ahmed
 Government of India Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas.
 Ref: Coal News, Natural Energy Resources, GSI,
vol.31