Andhra Pradesh Signs ₹150 Crore MoU With CSIR-NGRI For Lithium, Gallium Exploration In Kadapa Basin
Andhra Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) to undertake detailed exploration of lithium and gallium deposits in the Kadapa Basin, as part of the Centre's broader push for critical mineral self-reliance. The MoU was signed on August 12, 2026, between the state's Department of Mines and Geology and CSIR-NGRI in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Mines Minister Kollu Ravindra at the State Secretariat in Vijayawada.
The exploration will focus on the Vempalle and Thummalapalle areas of the Kadapa Basin, where preliminary studies by NGRI have already indicated lithium concentrations of up to 1,000 parts per million and gallium levels of up to 250 ppm. The exploration project will be fully funded by the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), at an estimated cost of nearly ₹150 crore.
Lithium is a key material for lithium-ion battery manufacturing used in electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage, while gallium is essential for producing photovoltaic cells, semiconductor chips and electronic components. Both minerals are classified as critical minerals under the Centre's National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), launched in April 2025, under which the Geological Survey of India has been tasked with conducting 1,200 exploration projects between 2025 and 2031.
Alongside the exploration MoU, Andhra Pradesh signed a separate agreement between its Department of Mines and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad's TexMin, aimed at research, technology development and skill enhancement in the state's mining sector. IIT (ISM) Dhanbad will set up a centre of excellence for the mining sector in Andhra Pradesh under the pact.