Aussie PSU offers tech inputs for long-term roadmap to GSI

Geoscience Australia will provide technical inputs for the long-term roadmap to Geological Survey of India on exploring minerals in the country.
"The term of reference of the MoU signed between Ministry of Mines and Geoscience Australia in 2015 for technical inputs and training regarding exploration and geology has two stages," Geoscience Australia Deputy CEO, chief of resources division, James Johnson told PTI in an interview.
These stages are - one short-term roadmap to build capacity and also providing inputs to GSI for drafting long-term road map.
Geoscience Australia is a public sector geo-science organisation.
Johnson said 'Geoscience Australia' will be offering solutions and technologies to develop new mineral deposits in India with a new approach of Mineral System, which has been practised in Australia with success.

The cooperation will help in predicting presence of minerals more precisely for successful commercial exploration of minerals of the country.

The first workshops on scientific approach had been conducted to build capacity and understanding capabilities to harness best approach to exploit minerals in India, Johnson said.
"We have also begun review of the technological platform of GSI," he said.
The methodology 'Geoscience Australia' uses to discover new mineral deposits (the rocks inside the surface) entails an in-detail study with help of past data and scientific analysis.
Johnson said government was focusing on mining sector in a big way to attract huge investment and trigger employment generation.

However, the Geoscience Australia do not intend to participate in any bidding process to acquire any mining assets in India and their services will stay restricted to offering capacity to GSI, the top official said.
"But, there are number of Aussie companies that can offer mining services to Indian mining," Johnson added.
Johnson also declined to comment on India's new policy on offering mining assets through auction route.