- CESHS to have 10% stake, to support preliminary survey work
- 3 graphite-vanadium blocks awarded in Arunachal Pradesh so far
The Arunachal Pradesh government has signed lease deeds, granting Oil India Limited (OIL) a composite licence to explore a graphite and vanadium block near the Phop village in the Yazali circle of the Keyi Panyor district.
The agreement was signed on 2 January, with the Centre of Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) also a partner, with a 10% stake in the project.
Graphite is crucial for energy transition due to its use in lithium-ion batteries for EVs and electronics for its high conductivity, and stability. While Tamil Nadu and Odisha are responsible for much of the current domestic production of graphite, Arunachal Pradesh holds the largest reserves, that is, nearly 36-43% of India’s total resources. India itself produced 0.288 million tonnes (mnt) of graphite in 2024, of the global total estimated at 1.6 mnt. The dominant 1.27 mnt were produced by China.
Vanadium, used to strengthen steel, has been identified as a critical mineral for its use in batteries for renewable energy (vanadium redox flow batteries) and grid-scale energy storage. It is considered a greener alternative to lithium-ion batteries for long-duration needs.
“As a local stakeholder with strong grassroots presence, CESHS will support preliminary and exploratory survey work and assist in coordination with local communities and authorities to ensure smooth conduct of exploration activities,” said a news report.
The Phop graphite and vanadium had been put up for auction by the Centre in its second tranche of critical and strategic minerals block auctions.
State Secretary for Geology & Mines, AK Singh; Chief General Manager, OIL, Raghunath Mishra; and Director of the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS), Tana Tage, were present on the occasion. The exploration work will take two years, as per comments attributed to Tage by regional news outlets.
Vedanta was recently declared the successful bidder for another graphite-vanadium block in the state, the Depo block in Sagalee taluka of Papum Pare district. The CL is for a 104.65 Ha area, explored up to G3 level. Meanwhile, Orissa Metallic has rights to explore the 152.74-ha Radhpu graphite and vanadium block in the Deed circle of Lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh, which has also been explored up to G3 level.
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