Director-general of GSI Sisir Chandra Rath (left) with steel and mines secretary G Srinivasan at the seminar in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 14: The Geological Survey of India will launch an exercise to explore minerals along the state’s coastline from January next year. The drive will be carried out extensively up to the 200 nautical miles off the state coast.

Revealing this plan at an international seminar on developments in minerals exploration techniques, strategy and challenges, director-general of the Geological Survey of India Sisir Chandra Rath said: “Geo-scientific research vessel RV Samudra Ratnakar, which is a state-of-the-art acquisition of our organisation, will be engaged for this purpose. We will try to find lime mud, phosphate and manganese nodules in the Bay of Bengal along the state’s coast.”

The research vessel, brought from South Korea, is equipped with high-end technologically advanced instruments needed for geological, geo-physical and geo-chemical explorations in the offshore areas. The vessel is a unique multitasking and multi-disciplinary ship with modern on-board laboratories designed to carry out seabed mapping, mineral exploration in the deep waters and research activities.

Rath said the geological survey had also found deposits of platinum group elements at Baula-Nuasahi complex at Sukinda Vally in Jajpur. “The presence of platinum group of elements is very encouraging,” said Rath.