The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur for drone-based mineral exploration.

NMDC has been exploring minerals for six decades for a wide range of minerals such as Copper, Rock phosphate, Limestone, magnesite, Diamond, Tungsten and Beach sands amongst others right from the reconnaissance G4 level to the detailed G1 Level of United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC), according to a statement released by the Ministry of Steel on Saturday.

The MoU for ‘Drone-Based Mineral Exploration’ was signed on Wednesday (16 March).

Sumit Deb, CMD, NMDC said, “NMDC would be the first CPSE in India to conduct Drone-based Geophysical Surveys and Hyperspectral Studies for Mineral Exploration in the country. NMDC’s tie up with IIT-Kharagpur will open a new chapter and set a benchmark in the field of mineral exploration for the nation.”

Under the pact, NMDC and IIT Kharagpur would develop spectral products, methods and algorithms for exploration using the Drone (UAV) for mining, the ministry said.

The collaboration between NMDC and IIT Kharagpur would further lead to the development of software spectral tools for mineral excavation and capacity building programs on mining technology.

NMDC is conducting exploration for various minerals in Madhya Pradesh and also in the Beloda-Belmundi block in Chhattisgarh for diamonds, the ministry said.

The company is also the first CPSE (Central Public Sector Enterprise) to use space geophysics in Central Indian Diamond Province and the first to use online monitoring of exploration of data on the BHUVAN platform, it added.

NMDC is increasingly relying on technological innovation and digitalisation of its database related to exploration and mining.