Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as India’s critical-mineral powerhouse with major discoveries of rare earths and Titanium-bearing ores, and Gold. State’s secretary for mines Mukesh Kumar Meena said about 16 critical minerals in commercially significant quantities have been discovered in the sprawling beaches of Uttarandhra belt and the scattered collection of ranges in the Rayalaseema region.
The finding comes after the state undertook an extensive mineral mapping exercise across the delta, coastal, and Rayalaseema regions to identify mineral-potential zones. The survey, conducted in March in conjunction with the Geological Survey of India, aimed to delineate deep-seated and concealed mineral deposits, including critical minerals essential for India’s energy transition and strategic sectors.
According to the AP Economic Development Board (APEDB), 182 mines along the 1,060-km coastline, the Ratnagarbha (or the womb/storehouse powerhouse of minerals), are believed to be holding massive rare-earth and beach-sand deposits which hold minerals such as rutile, monazite, ilmenite.
AP holds roughly 211 million tonnes of heavy beach sand.
Critical minerals are considered essential for a country’s economic growth, energy transition, technological development and national security. Their supply is vulnerable to disruption. Rare earths are a subset of critical minerals, and used in products ranging from electric vehicles and wind turbines to smartphones, missiles and advanced defence systems.
Some of the critical and rare earth critical minerals discovered in Andhra include lithium, Tungsten, Titanium (ilmenite, rutile), zirconium, glauconite, graphite, beryllium, and allanite.
Andhra holds major reserves of Titanium-bearing monazite, rutile and ilmenite, primarily in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts.
“In a few years from now, Andhra has the potential to cater to 100% of India’s Titanium requirements. We are shortly launching an exclusive Titanium policy in which the rules for exploitation, investment, value addition, and employment generation will all be laid down. We want to make India self-sufficient in its Titanium requirement,” said Mukesh Kumar Meena.
Titanium has become central to global geostrategy and has dominated conversations in diplomatic circles because it is the linchpin of the aerospace, defence, medical, and maritime sectors. This not only upped its value in global metal trade but was also widely accepted as a buffer against economic shocks.
From the depths of its mines to the strength of the nation.
Andhra Pradesh — A true Mineral Powerhouse.#Mineral #PowerHouse pic.twitter.com/1ltlYsmApS
— Ministry of Mines (@MinesMinIndia) June 22, 2026
Also Read: Rare earth corridor, zero customs duty on monazite: Budget’s push to counter China’s grip
Geopolitical imperative
The Global Mining Review, a research organisation for minerals, says that while Titanium has been used in the defence industry for the about 70-odd years, its strategic value in defence manufacturing for military operations has re-entered the spotlight in the view of the latest events.
Recent global events and ongoing geopolitical tension between the USA and the Middle East have highlighted vulnerabilities of global supply chains. In this context, the development of new and secure sources of Titanium and other minerals has become a geopolitical imperative.
Which is why, unsurprisingly, India and the states that have the potential to exploit high-value minerals have begun investing in the exploration and production of critical minerals. Andhra has engaged expert agencies to assist it in field studies and create blocks of mines.
“The Indian government gave us 12 areas of mineral exploration for rare-earth minerals. And we are looking to engage the private sector to exploit these minerals. Given the scale, grade, and viability, we will look to anchor new international and domestic investments to build supply partnerships, making India a reliable, independent source of Titanium and rare earths,” Meena added.
A roadmap for inviting investments worth nearly Rs 50,000 crore over a decade is underway. With Andhra declared as one of India’s three Rare Earth Corridors (REC) during the Union budget in February, Andhra’s officials believe it is uniquely positioned to power clean energy, aerospace, electronics, and defence supply chains.
Titanium, Zircon, Neodymium, and Praseodymium are used in manufacturing solar panels and wind turbines. Lanthanum and Cerium are utilised in superconductors and advanced electronic components.
An official of the APMDC, that auctions the mines across the state, told ThePrint that the state has significant reserves of India’s tungsten, bauxite, and baryte. The Agnigundala and Bondalamottu areas are known for Copper and lead-Zinc.
“According to the Ministry of Mines, AP contains 31 percent of India’s garnet and 13 percent each of limestone and magnetite iron ore. Additionally, the Jonnagiri project in the Anantapur district has found at least 50 tonnes of gold, which helps us plan several downstream activities,” the APMDC official said.
At peak capacity, the Jonnagiri, Ramagiri, Javvakula, and Chigurukunta-Bisnatam mines across Kurnool and Anantapur will produce more than 1,000 tonnes of gold annually for the next 15 years, state government studies indicate.
To build on this momentum, a detailed roadmap up to 2047 is underway to study the commercial impact of these discoveries. About three months ago, a detailed workshop was conducted in AP, where researchers from across the country, leading private players, and industry organisations were invited to check industry readiness for such large investment opportunities with long gestation periods.
“This is not just a resource opportunity for Andhra. It is a responsibility because these (minerals) are a geostrategic asset, critical to defence readiness and India’s sovereignty. So we are proceeding cautiously on this (involving private participation),” Andhra Pradesh Minister for Mines Kollu Ravindra said.
Retired IAS officer and former APMDC Chairman M Girija Shankar said that Andhra had identified the gold reserves nearly 30-40 years ago. However, these areas were restricted to public sector participation.
Another reason for the poor fortification and domestic production of minerals in Andhra was commercial viability. Kolar Gold Fields in Karnataka, where Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML) has been mining gold for over a century, was given licenses in Anantapur as well because the district shares the border with Karnataka. However, because the project was not viable, BGML’s licences lapsed.
“Today, even a gram of gold mined for a ton of earth excavated is profitable. Companies today utilise state-of-the-art multi-sensor technology combined with magnetic methods, which enable high-resolution subsurface mapping, identification of conductive zones associated with valuable mineral deposits, and improved understanding of geological structures at depth. To top it, the exponential rise in gold prices has added to the viability of mining,” Girija Shankar said.
To capitalise on the mineral rush, the AP government, through a Government Order (GO) dated 11 March, 2025, granted permission to the Department of Mines and Geology to allot quarry leasehold and mining rights for 436 new minor mineral projects to APMDC.
According to APMDC, the aggregate value of the mineral reserves associated with these projects is estimated at Rs 1,91,000 crore, with the net present value (NPV) of future cash flows estimated at approximately Rs 9,500 crore.
Some tenders called for by the government have already borne fruit. Reputed companies such as JSW Steel, Vedanta, Hindustan Zinc, Ambuja Cements, Shree Cement, Dalmia Cement and JK Cement have come forward to invest in the state’s mining sector.
Along with private players, many government-run organisations such as Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), the National Mineral Exploration Trust, a non-profit body established by the Government of India to promote mineral exploration, have descended on Andhra to conduct detailed geological, geochemical and geological surveys.
Once the survey is completed, these geophysical datasets will be available in the public domain through the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) portal, making them accessible to both government and private exploration agencies and aiding in refining future mineral exploration and resource development projects, the APMDC official explained.
With such large reserves of mineral resources, the state government is cautious about royalty agreements and usage rights. While royalty on some minerals is paid per tonne, in other cases, it is paid on the value of the mineral mined.
All profits generated from leases for Titanium-bearing minerals and associated radioactive components will remain with the state, Meena said.
“The private player who gives the state a higher share of minerals will be awarded the contract, and clear guidelines have already been set by the Ministry of Mines on minerals supply to the industry for minor and major minerals,” Meena said.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: No country built rare earths resilience alone. India must take lessons from Japan, Taiwan