Mumbai, July 17: Will India challenge China's dominance in rare earth minerals? This question comes as surveys conducted by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) discovered large reserves of rare earth minerals in Rajasthan. Notably, the deposits were found in Bhati Kheda village in the Siyana tehsil of Rajasthan's Balotra district. At present, 90 per cent of the world's rare earth elements (REEs) are produced in China. The 17 rare earth elements are crucial for manufacturing smartphones, electric vehicles, defence systems, and renewable energy equipment. Rajasthan's new development will make the country self-reliant and further its place in a bid to challenge China's monopoly in the global REE market. That said, it's essential to know what comprises the 17 REEs. The rare earth elements are lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu) and scandium (Sc) and yttrium (Y). India To Begin Rare Earth Magnet Production in Hyderabad To Counter China’s Supply Curbs: Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy. Where and How Were the Rare Earth Minerals Discovered? According to reports, the rare earth mineral deposits were discovered following surveys conducted in several locations across the Balotra and Jalore districts in Rajasthan. It is also learned that GSI and AMD are nearing completion of Bhati Kheda's exploration. Reports also suggest that the mining auction of the area, expected to be valued at INR 10 crore, is likely to begin soon. The auction is expected to witness participation from private companies and government agencies. It is also believed that there will be no environmental or local-level obstacles, as there are no wildlife sanctuaries or similar areas nearby in Bhati Kheda village. Reports also claimed that the Bhati Kheda area is rich in minerals such as bastnasite, britholite, and xenotime, which are usually found in carbonatite and microgranite rocks, key sources of rare earth elements. The discovery of rare earth minerals in Rajasthan proves crucial for India as these materials are critical across sectors such as automobiles, home appliances, and clean energy systems. Rs 1,345 Crore Allocated to Incentivise Rare Earth Magnets Production: Minister Kumaraswamy. Dr Chandraprakash Dadhich, Senior Geologist in the mining Department at Barmer, said that the Bhati Kheda area will be the country's first block with rare mineral reserves in hard rock. Presently, India has the third-largest rare earth reserves in the world, estimated at 6.9 million tonnes. The new discovery in Rajasthan could not only boost the country's rare earth reserves but also help India challenge China in the rare earth elements market.