Ranchi, March 20 Dhanbad-based TEXMiN, from IIT(ISM), announced on Friday that it had signed a pact with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for collaboration in research, technology development, and capacity building in the exploration of critical minerals.
The partnership marks a significant step towards advancing innovation-led exploration of critical minerals and strengthening India's mineral security ecosystem, the institute said.
"The MoU aims to foster collaborative programmes in the field of critical mineral exploration, with a strong focus on deploying advanced technologies and developing scalable solutions for the sector. It also provides for the onboarding of third-party start-up agencies, wherever required, to accelerate innovation and practical implementation," TEXMin, IIT (ISM) said in a statement.
Commenting on the collaboration, Prof Sukumar Mishra, Director, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and chairman, governing board, TEXMiN Foundation, said that the collaboration with GSI is a meaningful step towards building stronger capabilities in the area of critical mineral exploration, which is of strategic importance to the country.
"By combining institutional research, field expertise, and emerging digital technologies, we aim to contribute to a more resilient, future-ready, and self-reliant mineral ecosystem for India," he said.
Speaking on the partnership, GSI director general Asit Saha said, "This MoU reflects our shared commitment to advancing critical mineral exploration in India through innovation, scientific collaboration, and technology-led approaches. By partnering with TEXMiN, we look forward to strengthening research, pilot implementation, and capacity building efforts that can support the discovery and efficient utilisation of critical mineral resources for the nation."
Under the agreement, TEXMiN and GSI will work together across several identified areas of collaboration.
These include the application of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and deep learning in mineral exploration, particularly for mineral prospectivity mapping, locating deep and concealed deposits of critical minerals, and ore genesis modelling.
The statement said the collaboration will also extend to pilot projects for the recovery of critical minerals and elements from mineral phases in GSI-explored blocks, along with efforts to recover critical elements as byproducts associated with primary mineral deposits.
In addition, the partnership will focus on training and capacity building in the field of critical mineral exploration, it added.
Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation (TEXMiN) is a company with the status of Technology Translation Research Park (TTRP) set up by the Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India, at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad under the aegis of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
TEXMiN aims to develop commercially feasible mineral exploration and mining solutions using cyber-physical systems such as AI, drones, robotics, and satellite imagery.