A Pragmatic Approach Towards the Exploration of Industrial Minerals

The significant hidden potential of additional resource identification, characterization, and categorization of various grades of industrial minerals in India is well recognized. This is a major contributing factor hindering innovation and the discovery of new industrial minerals. The country, as a result, ends up importing high-end value-added mineral-based products. China clay, like many other industrial minerals finds application across various sectors of the industry like textile, rubber, paper, ceramics, and refractory, all of which require distinct properties. Various state and central government agencies have carried out exploration of China clays, however, that data and presentation need to be pragmatic keeping in mind the user’s requirements. In most of the cases, only chemical composition is reported in exploration reports, which has very limited application and relevance. However, in practice, the data on industrial minerals must include their physical properties, presence of oxide phases, purity of content, etc. which could indicate their grade, specific applications, and therefore, their economic value. This is unlike the base metals, iron ore, limestone, etc., wherein the economic viability and the ultimate usage of the minerals are largely determined on the basis of chemical composition alone. This chapter suggests some measures for the exploration agencies in this regard.