[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 2 Jan: In a major development towards the exploration of critical minerals in Arunachal Pradesh, OIL India Limited (OIL) on Friday signed an agreement for a composite licence for the phop graphite and vanadium block in the Yazali circle of Keyi Panyor district.
The deed of agreement was executed in the presence of Arunachal Pradesh Geology & Mines Secretary AK Singh, OIL Chief General Manager Raghunath Mishra, and Centre for Earth Sciences & Himalayan Studies (CESHS) Director Tana Tage, along with senior officials from the Directorate of Geology & Mines (DGM), OIL, and CESHS.
As per the details of the agreement, the CESHS will act as a local partner and stakeholder with a 10% partnership interest alongside OIL. As a local stakeholder with a strong presence and understanding of the ground situation, the CESHS will play a key role in supporting the project through preliminary and exploratory survey activities, as well as liaising with local communities and relevant authorities to facilitate smooth execution of exploration operations.
The exploration site is Phop village, located near Pitapool in Yazali circle. “With the granting of the composite licence, OIL will begin exploration work at the selected site. The exploration, which is similar to a pre-feasibility study, will take a minimum of two years to complete. Based on the findings, actual mining work will begin,” informed CESHS Director Tana Tage.
He further clarified that, after the completion of exploration work, a public hearing will again be conducted in the area. “Before granting the composite licence, public hearings were conducted several times in the area. Similarly, after exploration, public hearings will be conducted again. If sufficient minerals are found during exploration, mining work will proceed. Before mining work starts, public hearings will be conducted,” said Tage.
He further said that the signing of the agreement represents a major milestone in India’s critical minerals roadmap and a significant boost to Arunachal’s economy.
“This agreement reinforces national efforts towards resource security, strategic mineral self-reliance, and energy transition, while also contributing to regional development in Arunachal Pradesh,” he added.
Agreements were also signed for the Depo and Radhpu blocks in Papum Pare district for the exploration of graphite and vanadium. For the Depo block, the Vedanta Group has won the exploration rights, while for Radhpu, Orissa Metallic has secured the licence.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is the nodal agency and carries out initial surveys to identify potential mineral bearing areas, after which such sites are auctioned. In this case, OIL won the auction and appointed the CESHS as a local partner for exploration for the phop block in Keyi Panyor.
