GSI to boost mineral exploration with mapping

New Delhi, Oct 8 (UNI) The Geological Survey of India (GSI) -- an autonomous scientific and research organisation under the administrative control of Ministry of Mines -- has given a thrust to mineral exploration and survey and mapping during the current financial year 2007-08.

According to GSI sources, a total of 94 items have been included for exploration. Of these, 72 are under ores and minerals and 22 under coal and lignite. Out of these 72 ores and minerals projects, 23 are for gold, 22 for base metals, 8 for metals in the platinum group, 6 ferrous minerals, 6 diamond and 7 other minerals (including strategic, limestone and industrial minerals).

Survey and mapping is the next important issue for the GSI. Under this Specialised Thematic Mapping (STM) followed by Geochemical Mapping (GCM) and Geophysical Mapping (GPM) programme constitutes the core activity in recent years. A total of 97 items of investigations have been included under survey and mapping.

GCM tops the list with 34 projects, followed by STM with 29 and GPM with 10 items. The rests are airborne and marine surveys.

Engineering, earthquake, landslide and environmental geology are grouped under special investigations. Atleast 91 projects have been included in this category for the year 2007-08.

The strength of working geologists has decreased by at least 15 per cent during the past one year by the way of retirement, ageing and promotion.

Still, at least 54 per cent of GSI's manpower is deployed under three major heads of Mineral Exploration, Survey and Mapping and Special Investigations. Another 17 per cent of human resource are engaged in Research and Development -- necessary partly to supplement the different investigations.

About 23 per cent of manpower has been deployed for information dissemination, which includes mapping, publication and information technology while, HR and training employs 6 per cent of the manpower, sources added.

UNI