GSI Clarifies on Mineral Deposits in Tukreswari Hills

Recent reports suggested that the Geological Survey of India had discovered critical mineral deposits in the Tukreswari Hills. However, the GSI has clarified that no economically significant minerals were found. This statement comes after excitement among local residents regarding potential resources like lithium and cobalt. The GSI emphasized that their earlier studies were preliminary and did not indicate commercially viable deposits. The agency has urged media outlets to verify information before publication, as the initial claims have now been retracted, leaving the community's hopes for a mineral windfall dashed.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 27, 2026, 13:16 IST

GSI's Clarification on Mineral Findings

File photo of the Tukreswari Hills area in Goalpara district. (AT Photo)

Guwahati, May 27: Following recent reports about the Geological Survey of India (GSI) discovering significant mineral deposits in the Tukreswari and Sijukona Hills of Goalpara district, the GSI has clarified that no economically viable critical minerals have been identified in these locations.

On May 26, the GSI, which operates under the Ministry of Mines, stated that the investigations conducted in the southern Agia region between 2012 and 2014 were merely a 'preliminary scientific study' aimed at assessing Rare Earth Elements (REE), rather than confirming commercially exploitable deposits.

According to the GSI, the findings from the preliminary REE study indicated that the total concentration of Rare Earth Elements was below 1000 ppm, which does not meet the economic threshold set by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) for further exploration. Consequently, no additional REE exploration was recommended.

The GSI also emphasized that it had not issued any official statements regarding the discovery of critical mineral resources in the vicinity of the historic Tukureswari Temple or nearby areas.

Furthermore, the agency pointed out that the report from the investigation is publicly available on the Geological Survey of India Portal (NG portal) and the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR).

It urged media organizations to verify facts with the appropriate department before disseminating such information.

This clarification follows reports from May 23 that suggested the discovery of minerals like lithium, graphite, cobalt, and vanadium beneath the hills, all of which are deemed critical for the production of electric vehicles, batteries, mobile devices, laptops, advanced defense systems, missiles, and technologies for space research.

The initial excitement among local residents, especially those near the Tukreswari Temple, regarding a potential mineral boom in the area now seems to have been unfounded, as the GSI retracts the earlier claims.