G&M deptt to undertake mineral drilling

Directorate of Geology & Mining (DGM) is set to initiate drilling works for mineral assessment across Nagaland, as part of its renewed focus on resource exploration and environmental resilience.
This was announced by commissioner & secretary, Geology & Mining, John Kevi Angami, during the 45th State Geological Programming Board (SGPB) meeting held at the department’s conference hall here on Friday.
Delivering keynote address, Angami underscored the impact of global geopolitical tensions on the mineral sector and called for intensified efforts in mineral exploration, groundwater studies and scientific interventions to mitigate landslides—describing them as one of the state’s most pressing social concerns. He urged officials to align departmental activities with the state’s environmental improvement roadmap.
The meeting, convened to review ongoing projects and approve programmes for 2026–27, also featured a technical session aimed at fostering inter-agency collaboration. Angami expressed satisfaction over the department’s steady progress and lauded the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for its continued technical support in mineral and landslide studies.
Delivering the welcome address, DGM director Dr. KenyeloRengma echoed concerns over global disruptions, citing the Israel-Hamas conflict and Russia-Ukraine war as key factors affecting mineral supply chains and petroleum prices. He warned that India could face economic headwinds due to shipping delays, tariff hikes and rising costs of defence-critical minerals such as germanium and tungsten.
Rengma emphasized the importance of securing critical minerals under the National Critical Mineral Mission 2025, which he said would be instrumental in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Recalling the North East Mining Minister’s Conclave held in Guwahati in June, he noted that Union Minister for Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, and secretary Mines, V. L. Kantha Rao had stressed on the need to explore and auction mineral blocks to reduce import dependency and strengthen domestic supply chains.
He also cited Assam chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s call to transform Assam into a “giving state,” and urged Nagaland to adopt a similar approach by harnessing its mineral wealth with support from central agencies, private stakeholders and the state government.
Meanwhile, General Manager (Geology), ONGC Jorhat division, Metenol Angami, informed that three Petroleum Exploration Licenses (PEL) allocated to ONGC by the state government last year were currently under review. Upon clearance, ONGC would commence seismic surveys followed by exploratory drilling based on findings.
Responding to queries on proven oil reserves, Metenol stated that ONGC had prognosticated Nagaland’s reserves at approximately 555 million metric tons (MMT), with Changpang being the only site where oil was successfully struck—holding an estimated 17 MMT in place. He added that current extraction stands at around 280 tons per day, which could sustain operations for 10 to 15 years depending on scale.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen the state’s mineral roadmap through scientific collaboration and strategic exploration.