STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

To examine/monitor the work executed by the Notified Private Exploration

Agencies [NPEAs] in the state and to verify the bills claimed by NPEAs for
such purpose under scheme for engagement of NPEAs in mineral
exploration directly through NMET by the Deputy Director General [Dy.
DG] of State Units, Geological Survey of India as Nodal Officer of
respective States.

1. Background
1.1 National Mineral Exploration Trust [NMET] has developed a scheme to
encourage participation of private sector in exploration of critical and strategic
minerals as specified in Part-D of the First Schedule and in the Seventh
Schedule of the MMDR Act, 1957 through NMET funds. The scheme aims at
accelerating exploration activities in the country by engaging the Notified Private
Exploration Agencies [NPEAs] in mineral exploration for this category of
minerals and also easing out the process of reimbursement/funding of the
operations carried out by NPEAs through NMET. The project proposals
submitted by NPEAs for this category of minerals is to be directly handled by
NMET for approval and sanction.
1.2 The concerned OM F. No. 6/3/2015-NMET dated 12th December, 2023 of
Ministry of Mines regarding scheme for engagement of NPEAs in mineral
exploration of Critical and Strategic Minerals has specific directive for the
Deputy Director Generals of State Units of Geological Survey of India (GSI) in
respect of mode of engagement of NPEAs and funding by NMET for exploration
of these minerals. The above-mentioned OM is enclosed herewith as
annexure-A.
1.3 Further NMET has issued an OM [Link].6/3/2015-NMET/176 dated 27th June,
2024 in supersession to the OM [Link].6/3/2015-NMET/380 dated 12th
December, 2023 regarding the revised scheme for engagement of Notified
Private Exploration Agencies [NPEA] in Mineral Exploration directly through
NMET. The present scheme is applicable for exploration of all major minerals
other than minerals mentioned in Part-B of the First Schedule of the MMDR Act
1957. [annexure-B]

1.4 As per the aforesaid OM the Deputy Director General will be the Nodal Officer
from the respective State Unit Office of GSI who will examine/monitor the work
 executed by the NPEAs in the State and verify the bills claimed by NPEAs for
such purpose. The NPEAs will submit bill to NMET after
verification/certification by the Nodal Officer. The OM further specifies that the
raw data generated by NPEAs during the mineral prospecting operation shall
be submitted inter alias to GSI. The drill core logs generated by NPEAs have
to be submitted to the nearest Regional Core Library of GSI as per the SOP of
GSI for this purpose in respect of the block.

1.5 In pursuance of this OM from the Ministry of Mines, the Director General [DG],
GSI constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Joyesh Bagchi, Dy.
Director General, State Unit: Uttar Pradesh, NR along with Dr. Lalan Prasad
Singh, Dy. Director General, SU: Telangana, SR and Shri Anindya
Bhattacharya, Dy. Director General, SU: Rajasthan, WR as members to
prepare the SOP to examine/monitor the work executed by the NPEAs in the
states and to verify the bills claimed by NPEAs for such purpose under scheme
for engagement of NPEAs in mineral exploration directly through NMET. The
committee has also sought technical inputs and advise from several
geoscientists having expertise in their subject domain. Besides, Shri Hemant
Kumar, Director [Technical Co-ordination], SU: Uttar Pradesh, GSI, NR and
Shri Subhash Kumar, Superintending Geologist, SU: Uttar Pradesh, GSI, NR
have provided valuable techno- administrative inputs for formulation and
drafting of this SOP.
2. Introduction
2.1 The committee constituted by the DG, GSI had multiple meetings through
Video Conferencing to deliberate on the issues involved and has prepared
SOP ensuring uniformity in examining/monitoring of such mineral exploration
projects of NPEAs by the Dy. Director Generals of different State Units of GSI.

2.2 The work of examining/monitoring of the work executed by the NPEAs,

verifying/ certifying bills claimed by NPEAs for such purpose, ensuring
submission of raw data generated by the NPEAs during mineral exploration,
and submission of drill cores logs to the Core Library of the Region of the
respective State Unit of GSI mandatorily requires systematic monitoring and
inspection of the exploration activities of the NPEAs from the Office of the Dy.
Director General of the State Unit. These warrants specific information
 flow/activities of NMET, NPEAs and the office of the Dy. Director General of
the State Unit.

2.3 The scope of examining/monitoring by the office of the Dy. Director General of
a State Unit in respect of the work executed by the NPEAs will be strictly limited
to the physical targets of different work components as specified in the
approved exploration program and sanction order by NMET. The technical
supervision, review and evaluation of the project implementation will be under
the purview of the TCC, NMET.

2.4 The cost for each component of work will be as per the sanction order of NMET.
In case of specific component of work which is not mentioned in the sanction
order, NPEAs will seek necessary clarifications on the applicable cost and
obtain requisite approval from NMET, prior to submission of the claims/bills.

2.5 Further, during the execution of the approved project proposal the time overrun,
cost overrun and the evaluation/approval of revised cost estimates including
the penalties to be imposed thereon will be the domain of NMET.

Role and responsibilities of the NMET, Office of the Dy. Director

Generals of State Units and NPEAs.
3. National Mineral Exploration Trust [NMET]

3.1 The details of approved mineral exploration programs to be implemented by

the NPEAs including project proposal with inter alias the background
information, mineral exploration methodology to be adopted, detailed quantum
of work, estimated cost, time schedule, action plan along with the generalised
activity normalisation time table [GANTT] etc. will have to be provided by the
NMET.

3.2 The minutes of the Technical-cum Cost Committee [TCC], Executive

Committee [EC], NMET meeting and Sanction Order concerning the
respective project will also be provided by the NMET.

3.3 The NMET will also provide the name, designation, email and contact number
of the nodal person from the NPEAs responsible for implementation of the
program.
3.4 The technical reviews and quality check of the project implementation is to be
done through TCC as per the extant NMET guidelines.

3.5 The monthly progress of the work executed, received from the NPEAs have to
be provided to the [Link], GSI of respective state units.

3.6 Any modification in the approved project proposal during technical reviews,
such as work component, time schedule, estimated cost, approval of final
geological report etc. need to be informed by NMET.

3.7 All the above information may be provided by NMET to the office of the Dy.
Director General of the concerned State Unit with copy to office of DG, GSI will
be informed.

4. The office of the Dy. Director General of the State Units, Geological
Survey of India

4.1 The office of Dy. Director General or an authorised officer from his office will
seek from the nodal person of the NPEAs the names, email addresses, contact
number of the officials responsible for execution of each work component as
per the approved mineral exploration proposal.

4.2 All the correspondences/communications, either made with the NPEAs or

NMET must be endorsed to the office of DG, GSI, Kolkata for records.

4.3 The name, designation, email, contact number of the nodal person from the
office of Dy. Director General will be provided to the NPEAs with a copy
endorsed to the office of the DG, GSI.

4.4 The monitoring of the physical work components carried out by the NPEAs will
be done under one JAG level (Geology) officer conversant with mineral
exploration activities. The JAG level officer will be designated as the nodal
person for interacting with the NPEAs. The STS/JTS (Geology) officer will be
on Part Time or Full Time basis depending on the number of exploration
programs being implemented by NPEAs in the State. Accordingly, an
additional service item will be incorporated in the Field Season Program [FSP]
of the State Unit.

4.5 The office of the Director, Technical Coordination [TC], in the State Unit will be
the custodian of all records related to the implementation of projects by NPEAs
 and accordingly, the designated nodal person for a project will ensure that all
data submitted by the NPEAs is also forwarded to the office of the Director
[TC] of the State Unit.

4.6 The execution of the field activities of the NPEAs will be examined and monitored
through field visits by the officers from the office of the Dy. Director General of the
State Unit or authorised representative(s) and also required periodic submissions by
the NPEAs. Dy. Director Generals of the State Units will depute officers to carry
out the physical verification of the work being carried out by the NPEAs.
Further, office of the Dy. Director General will provide the name and designation of
such officer(s) to the NPEAs to facilitate the field visit and monitoring of field work
activities.

4.7 The officer(s) deputed for field visit to examine/monitor the field activities of
NPEAs will submit field note on his/her observations to the nodal person in the
office of the Dy. Director General of State Unit.

4.8 The field visits will be limited to examining and monitoring the physical work
activities carried out by NPEAs in the field with reference to the NMET
approved mineral exploration proposal and related sanction order. The field
visits will not include technical supervision of the field work activities.
4.9 The office of the Dy. Director General will depute officers earmarked for the
monitoring work under a service item or any other geoscientists from the State
Unit.

4.10 In order to examine and monitor the geophysical survey activities carried out
by NPEAs in the field, the State Unit will be provided with the services of
geophysicist(s) on a part time basis by the Head of Department [HoD] of the
concerned Regional Headquarter of GSI during the process of
examining/monitoring the geophysical survey work of the NPEAs.

4.11 The geophysical field work by the designated officer(s) may include repeat data
acquisition with the instruments of NPEAs for random check on the veracity of
the geophysical data as and when required. The output maps generated may
be checked.

4.12 The drilling activities will be monitored through monthly progress report as per
annexure-C, and field visits. The verification of the bills will be subject to the
core recovery being >80% in non-mineralized zone and recovery in the
 mineralized zone being as per annexure-D given in Exploratory Drilling
Guidelines for NMET funded Projects, 2018. For mineral commodities which
are not listed in annexure-D, the drill core recovery need to be >90%. The
NPEAs will have to submit the certification for core recovery percentage and
also drilling meterage for non-core drilling. In case of lower recovery %age,
approval from NMET may be obtained by the NPEA prior to submission of bills
to the Dy. Director General, State Units.

4.13 The scope of work of the officer during field visit from the office of the Dy.
Director General or authorised officer(s) will inter alias include the following:

(a) The physical verification:

 Geological map with sample location (hard copy) and related documents
 Samples collected for chemical analysis
 Skeletonized drill core/borehole logs/daily progress register
 Field photographs with coordinates
(the physical verification will not include content of the report)
(b) The modification/deviation from submitted work plan, if any and approval
thereof by NMET.

4.14 The Dy. Director General of the State Units will ensure all the
administrative, financial and logistic support to the associated officer(s) of GSI
for all the field activities related to the examination/monitoring of the projects.

4.15 On submission of original hard copy of the claims by the NPEAs along
with supporting documents, the verification process will be based on the
quantum of work executed by the NPEAs as per the sanction order. The bill
verification will be completed within 10 working days, if the claims are in order.
In case of deficiency in the claims, clarification will be sought and/or returned
to the NPEAs under intimation to NMET and DG, GSI office.

4.16 The Director-in Charge of the Regional Core Library of the concerned
Region will receive the drill core and lithologs submitted by NPEAs. The Office
of the Regional Mission Head-II of the Region will submit a certificate after the
physical verification of the drill cores as per the SOP of GSI to the Dy. Director
General of the concerned State Unit and NPEAs within 7 working days.
 5 Notified Private Exploration Agencies [NPEAs]

5.1 On the basis of the NMET approved exploration project and sanction order,
the NPEAs will submit a detailed work plan, time schedule for implementation
and deployment plan of technical personnel. Whenever NPEAs initiate a field
program in the State, NPEA will mandatorily submit to the Dy. Director
General of State Units the date of initiation and duration of field visit,
names of place of investigation, names and contact details of the
investigators to ensure proper coordination with the respective State
Units. The monitoring and field visit by the office of the Dy. Director General
of the State Unit will be carried out on the basis of these submissions.

5.2 The NPEAs will furnish the details along with contact numbers of the
geologists/ geophysicists/drilling personnel deployed in the program.

5.3 The complete postal address and coordinate locations of the field/drilling
camps and changes, if any, will be provided to the office of Dy. Director
General of the respective State Unit of GSI by the authorised personnel of the
NPEAs.

5.4 During the implementation of the field program, the designated nodal person
in the office of the Dy. Director General of the State Unit will be informed in
advance on the date and duration of field visits of the
geologists/geophysicists/drilling party/technical personnel of the NPEAs.

5.5 During field work the deployed personnel of the NPEAs need to provide the
co-ordinates of the location whenever sought by the designated officer(s) of
the office of the Dy. Director General of State Unit.

5.6 The NPEAs will submit monthly progress report vis-à-vis the approved
exploration program, work plan, time schedule of implementation and the
GANTT chart. This will have to be submitted in the first week of every month.
The monthly reports need to include field data/photographs of samples, pits,
trenches with locations as well as of drilling unit locations and corresponding
drill cores. The progress may also be presented in the format for the monthly
progress report at annexure-E.

5.7 During the field visit by the designated geophysicist(s) from the office of the Dy.
Director General of State Unit, NPEAs will facilitate, wherever required, the
 repeat data acquisition with the instruments of NPEA for random check of the
geophysical data as and when required. The raw data acquired during the
geophysical survey and the processed data along with the maps thus
generated need to be submitted for scrutiny.

5.8 Any modification/deviation from the approved work components and timelines
extension should be pre-approved by NMET before presenting the bills to the
office of the Dy. Director General of the State Unit.

5.9 The NPEAs will keep in readiness of all the working sheet of the
geological/geophysical maps including the plots of the locations of
samples/pits/trenches, boreholes location etc. during the field visit by the
officers from the office of the Dy. Director General of the State Unit or
authorised representative(s) of respective State Unit.

5.10 The nodal person from the NPEAs will certify the achievement against the
approved physical targets of each work components. The authenticity of all the
data acquired during the implementation of the project lies with the NPEAs.

5.11 Regarding Chemical analysis of the samples, the results must be certified
by the NABL accredited Laboratory Head/Laboratory In-charge and other
laboratory investigations of the samples, against the approved targets must be
certified by the respective Laboratory Head/Laboratory In-charge.

5.12 The DGPS co-ordinates of boreholes locations along with pillars and monthly
progress report is to be provided to the office of the Dy. Director General of the
State Unit as per the format at annexure-C.

5.13 The NPEAs will have to submit the certification for core recovery percentage
and also drilling meterage for non-core drilling. In case of lower recovery %age
from the prescribed requirement detailed at para 4.13 above, approval from
NMET may be obtained by the NPEAs prior to submission of bills to Dy.
Director General of State Unit.

5.14 NPEAs may submit original hard copy of bills for examination and verification
to the office of the Dy. Director General of State Unit. The claims need to have
the following annexures duly certified by the authorized signatory of the NPEA:
 i. The claim bills should be accompanied with the work completion certificate
for the entire work /part of the work being invoiced as the case may
be, from the authorised representative of NPEAs.
ii. Summary of geological/geophysical data and maps thus prepared, if any.
iii. Details of the samples collected for chemical analysis (annexure-F)
iv. Details of the drilling progress/boreholes logs and core recovery.
v. Results of the NABL accredited Laboratory studies/chemical analysis duly
certified by the Laboratory Head/Laboratory In-charge.
vi. Modification/Deviation from submitted work plan, if any, must have approval
from NMET, prior to submission of the bills.

5.15 The onus of financial transaction during the implementation and execution of
the approved mineral exploration program lies with NPEAs as per the sanction
order of NMET. The office of the Dy. Director General of State Unit will verify
the claims for the work executed based on the approved quantum of work and
cost sheet issued by NMET along with sanction order.

5.16 The final claims will be verified only after all drill cores are submitted in the
Regional Drill Core Library as per the SOP of GSI and all raw data (geological
and geophysical) along with clearance from NMET.
 Annexure 1
MMDR amendment Act 2023
"PART D of the First Schedule"
Critical and Strategic Minerals

1. Beryl and other beryllium bearing minerals.

2. Cadmium bearing minerals.
3. Cobalt bearing minerals.
4. Gallium bearing minerals.
5. Glauconite.
6. Graphite.
7. Indium bearing minerals.
8. Lithium bearing minerals.
9. Molybdenum bearing minerals.
10. Nickel bearing minerals.
11. Niobium bearing minerals.
12. Phosphate (without uranium).
13. Platinum group of elements bearing minerals.
14. Potash.
15. Minerals of the "rare earths" group not containing Uranium and Thorium.
16. Rhenium bearing minerals.
17. Selenium bearing minerals.
18. Tantalum bearing minerals.
19. Tellurium bearing minerals.
20. Tin bearing minerals.
21. Titanium bearing minerals and ores (ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene).
22. Tungsten bearing minerals.
23. Vanadium bearing minerals.
24. Zirconium bearing minerals and ores including zircon.
 Annexure 2
MMDR amendment Act 2023
"The Seventh Schedule"
Minerals

1. Apatite
2. Beryl and other beryllium bearing minerals
3. Cadmium bearing minerals
4. Cobalt bearing minerals
5. Copper bearing minerals
6. Diamond
7. Gold
8. Graphite
9. Indium bearing minerals
10. Lead bearing minerals
11. Lithium bearing minerals
12. Molybdenum bearing minerals
13. Niobium bearing minerals
14. Nickel bearing minerals
15. Potash
16. Platinum group of elements bearing minerals
17. Minerals of ‘rare earths' group
18. Rhenium bearing minerals
19. Rock Phosphate
20. Selenium
21. Silver
22. Tantalum bearing minerals
23. Tel|urium bearing minerals
24. Tin bearing minerals
25. Titanium bearing minerals and ores (ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene)
26. Tungsten bearing minerals
27. Vanadium bearing minerals
28. Zinc bearing minerals
29. Zirconium bearing minerals and ores including zircon
 Annexure 1

FORMAT FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL FOR UNDERTAKING EXPLORATION

To,
The Director & HoD,
National Mineral Exploration Trust,
Ministry of Mines
New Delhi - 110001

Madam/Sir,
I/we am/are submitting the following details for granting ‘in-principle’ approval by
NMET on the proposal of reconnaissance or prospecting surveys to NMET under the
“Scheme for Engagement of Notified Private Exploration Agencies in Mineral Exploration
directly through National Mineral Exploration Trust issued by Ministry of Mines vide OM
No. dt .

1. Name and Address of the Applicant

(a) Name of NPEA:
(b) Name of Authorized Signatory
(c ) Postal address:
(d) Telephone Number (Office):
(e) Fax number (Office):
(f) Mobile No:
(g) Telephone Number (Residence):
(h) E-mail address:

2. Details of Accreditation as Private Exploration Agency and Notification under

the proviso to Section 4(1) of the MMRD Act
(a) Date of accreditation granted by QCI-NABET:
(b) Date of expiry of accreditation:
(c) Date of Notification under the proviso to Section 4(1) of the
MMRD Act:
(d) Date of expiry of Notification:
(e) Category of the exploration Agency (Category A or B)
under Notification:

3. Location Details of the Area Proposed

(a) State
(b) District (s)/ Taluka(s)/ Block(s)
(c) Nearby Village (s)
(d) Survey of India (SOI) Toposheet (s) No.
(e) Area in sq. km.
(f) Boundary coordinates of the proposed block ( in Decimal
degree)
4. Mineral Potential of the Area
(a) Name of Mineral(s) identified/ expected in the area/ block
(b) Title of the Project with name of the block
(c) Stage of Exploration
(d) Basis on which mineral potential in the area has been
identified

5. Documents to be enclosed with the application

(i) Location of the proposed block demarcated on Survey of India (SOI) Toposheet No.
(ii) Documents mentioned in item 4(d) above.
(iii) Other necessary documents

Place:
Date: Signature of Applicant
 Annexure-C
[Notified Private Exploration Agency Name]

Monthly Progress Report of Drilling

Project Name:
Block area: sq. km
Total drilling targets:
No. of Boreholes:
Average borehole depth:
Schedule Timeline:

1. Drill Unit No.:

S. Drilling Drill Metrage (m) Core Core Total
No. Targets/Achievements Size recovery (%) (m)
From To
I Monthly Achievement (m)
ii Cumulative progress (m)
(Since project inception to
till date)

2. Drill Unit No.:

S. Drilling Drill Metrage (m) Core Core Total
No. Targets/Achievements Size recovery (%) (m)
From To
I Monthly Achievement (m)
ii Cumulative progress (m)
(Since project inception to
till date)

Acknowledgement

I, ……………………….[Name of the Nodal Person] of M/s……………………[Name of the

NPEA] solemnly declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, the information given in
the monthly progress is correct and complete.

[Signature]
[Name]
 Annexure-D

Commodities wise drill core recovery (%) as given in Exploratory Drilling Guidelines
for NMET Funded Projects, 2018.
 Annexure-E
[Notified Private Exploration Agency Name]

Monthly Progress Report [MPR] for the month of

(Block details: Name/Commodity/Exploration Stage/ID/T.S/District/State/Exploration Agency)

Name of the Project Date of Date of Whether delay in Remarks
Approval Commencement commencement/Timeline
extension (if any) is
approved by NMET

Nature and Quantum of work (Target assigned and achieved)

S. Nature of work* Target assigned Work Progress Cumulative Remarks
No. during the current progress
month since
Aerial Reconnaissance :
1 PGRS studies (1:25/50,000)
(sq km)
Topographical Survey-
2 (DGPS/Total Station
Survey)/Drone (sq km)
Geological Mapping
3 (LSM/DM) (sq km)
Geophysical Surveys
4 (Gravity, Magnetic Stn),
Nos
Technological
(a) Surface exploration-
5 Pitting/trenching (cu m)
(b) Sub Surface
exploration- Drilling (m)
Geochemical survey
(a) Bed Rock Sample (Nos.)
(b) Stream Sediment
6
Sample (Nos.)
(c) Core Sample (Nos.)
(d) PT sample (Nos.)

Petrographic/ Mineragraphic/Other studies

(a) Petrographic (Nos.)

7
(b) ICPMS (Nos.)
(c) Petrographic Core
(Nos.)
 (d) Ore Microscopy (Nos.)

(e) XRD

(f) Sp. Gravity

Chemical Analysis
(a)Chemical Analysis:
(b) Internal Check samples
(5% of Primary samples)
8
(c) External Check sample
(10 % of Primary samples)

(d) Composite samples

*The list of work components [Nature of work] will be as per the approved project proposal
by NMET.

Highlights/Summary/Remarks, if any:

[Signature of Authorized Person of NPEAs]

Acknowledgement

I, ……………………….[Name of the Nodal Person] of M/s……………………[Name of the

NPEA] solemnly declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, the information given in
the monthly progress is correct and complete.

[Signature]
[Name]
 Annexure-F
[Notified Private Exploration Agency Name]

DETAILS OF SAMPLES COLLECTED

Name of the sampler: Toposheet No.: Date:

S. Sample Latitude Longitude Elevation Sample Lithology Land Landscape/ Site/ Depth of Geology/ Area/ Remarks
No. Number (m) Type use Photo sample Formation District/
State
1
2
3
4
5
6

Note.
Sample type: Bed Rock Sample (BRS), Regolith, Stream sediment, Slope Wash, Soil; Water: Stream water (SW), Spring water (SP), Well water
(WW), Drill core sample (CS)
Lithology: Four letter code may be used. Example. Granite (GRAN), Amphibolite (AMP), Quartzite (QUART), etc.
Landuse: Agriculture (A), Pasture land (P), Forest (F), Barren (B), Other specific
Landscape: Plain (P), Undulating (U), Rugged (R)
Acknowledgement

I, ……………………….[Name of the Nodal Person] of M/s……………………[Name of the NPEA] solemnly declare that to the best of my
knowledge and belief, the information given in the details of sample collected is correct and complete.
[Signature]
[Name]