Editor’s Note
This article highlights a significant policy shift regarding India’s chemical grade limestone, a critical industrial mineral. It examines how recent reclassification may impact domestic production and reduce import dependency, focusing on the key mining regions of Rajasthan.
Nagaur. Due to the government’s inclusion of ‘Chemical Grade’ limestone in the ‘Principal Mineral’ category without proper consideration, its imports in the country have reached 40% over the past three years. Now, the government has woken up and, considering the demands of mineral entrepreneurs made over the last five to six years, has asked the state government to send a proposal to include chemical grade limestone under ‘Minor Minerals’.
Notably, in the past, lime was mainly used in construction, whitewashing, and consumption (with betel leaf), but in the changing environment, lime has become an extremely important industrial raw material. Without it, the operation of the country’s most crucial industries has become nearly impossible. The high-quality limestone extracted from the Khinvsar and Gotan areas of Nagaur district has become a fundamental requirement for more than a dozen industries across the country today. This is why, during the first wave of COVID-19, mining of limestone from Khinvsar was among the first to be approved during the nationwide lockdown. Experts say that for industrial use, only lime produced from high-quality limestone (Chemical Grade) can be used.
High-quality chemical grade limestone constitutes only about one percent of the total limestone available across India. Approximately 95% of this is primarily available in villages of Nagaur district in western Rajasthan such as Gotan, Pundalu, Mankapur, Tadawas, Berawas, Bhed, Berathal, Khinvsar, Basni Harisingh, Bhavanda, Chadi, Madpura, etc., and in very small quantities in villages of Jodhpur district like Borunda, Hariyadhana, Ransigaon, and Pali district like Sojat, Rundia, Barna, etc.
Previously, limestone mines were allocated as ‘Minor’ and ‘Principal’ minerals, but recently all types of limestone have been reserved under ‘Principal Mineral’ and classified into two categories: Cement Grade and Steel Grade. This has severely affected the availability of Chemical Grade limestone. The allocation of new mining leases for the lime industry has stalled. Due to the unavailability of limestone, this industry is facing a severe raw material crisis. Consequently, industrial units using lime are now forced to import it from abroad, which is not only draining the country’s valuable foreign exchange but also reducing local employment opportunities.
Quicklime and Hydrated Lime produced from Chemical Grade limestone are extremely important raw materials, used in almost all major industries in the country. Production in these units is impossible without high-grade Quicklime and Hydrated Lime. Major industries include sugar, paper, metal industries, steel, road construction and aircraft runways, chemical industry, water purification, nuclear industry, effluent treatment, manufacturing of eco-friendly building materials, agricultural use, leather industry, etc. Additionally, industries like plastics, rubber, animal feed, glass, ceramic insulation, pharmaceuticals, etc., also cannot operate without high-quality lime.
In Jodhpur, Nagaur, and Pali, about 450 to 500 limestone mines have been allocated as ‘Minor’ mines so far. However, stone availability is decreasing in some of these mines, and in others, due to the unavailability of Chemical Grade (high-quality) stone, the produced limestone is being supplied to cement industries. This is preventing industries that produce high-quality lime products from receiving raw material (limestone) supplies. As a result, they are unable to operate their industries at full production capacity.
– Meghraj Lohia, President, All India Lime Manufacturers Association