This document summarizes mineral resources found in the state of Sikkim, India. It describes occurrences of base metals like copper, coal, limestone, graphite, and iron across different districts of Sikkim. The Geological Survey of India and the State Department of Mines and Geology have explored many areas, finding deposits of low-value bulk minerals as well as base metal occurrences. However, large parts of Sikkim remain unexplored for minerals.

1. Min󰈩󰈸󰇽󰈘 Res󰈡󰉊󰈸󰇸es in S󰈎󰈔󰈕󰈏m
By: Rakshit Dogra
- A󰈾L 󰈪ro󰈑󰈩󰇸t -

2. In󰉃󰈹od󰉉󰇹󰉄󰈏on
In spite of low accessibility, thick vegetal, and soil/ debris/ moraine cover, the state of Sikkim is
represented by a number of base metal occurrences. Most of the occurrences are in the Daling Group of
rocks in parts of the West, South, and East districts of Sikkim. Base metal occurrences at Bhotang,
Pachekhani and Dikchu have been explored in detail. The Bhotang and Pachekhani lodes which are mined
presently are possibly the only working mines in the Himalayas. Among nonmetallic minerals coal,
graphite, dolomite, limestone, marble, wollastonite, talc, sillimanite and asbestos, etc. also occur.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has completed systematic geological mapping of 90 % of accessible
land on a 1 : 50000 scale and carried out mineral exploration mostly around parts of South, West, and
East Sikkim. The State Department of Mines, Minerals, and Geology has been working on site-specific
geological & geotechnical studies, on a prioritized basis, both agencies have found large deposits of low
value - high bulk minerals besides base metal occurrences mostly within the Daling Group of rocks called
Gorubathan Formation. The activities of the GSI and the State Department of Mines and Geology are
reviewed periodically and monitored during Central Geological and State Geological Board meetings.
Despite efforts by the Department of Mines, Minerals & Geology, Government of Sikkim, and the GSI, large
areas of the State remain unexplored. However, the occurrence of some minerals has been studied.

3. Cop󰈥󰈩󰈹:
The ores of copper are widespread in Sikkim and are
in the Daling beds. Some are situated in the transition
rocks between the Daling and the gneiss, but none in
the genuine itself, Copper depositors are found in East
and West Sikkim. Two deposits, one at Rangpo and
the other near Dikchu (north of Gangtok) are being
explored. both are small, multimetal deposits. Sikkim
Mining Corporation is working on the copper deposits
which envisages mining and milling only.

4. Co󰈀l:
A coal field bounded on the south by the
Ramman and Rangit Rivers near Naya Bazar
occur in South Western Sikkim. The coal is
reportedly non-cooking variety, low in
moisture and volatile matter and high in fixed
carbon.

5. Lim󰈩󰈻󰉄󰈢ne:
Crystalline limestone has been reported from
Chhangu in Eastern Sikkim and Chungthang in
North Sikkim. Sedimentary deposits of
limestones are reported in West Sikkim in Naya
Bazar-Reshi-Namchi area and in the North
Sikkim.

6. Gra󰈥󰈋󰈎t󰇵:
Graphite in Sikkim occurs over parts of West and
North Districts. Workable occurrences are located
at Chitre - Dariely & Dentam - Uttarey area of
West Sikkim. The graphite is made up of 40 - 60
% fixed carbon. Beneficiation is necessary for
commercial exploitation.

7. Iro󰈝:
This occurs chiefly as pyrites in association with
chalcopyrite. It is most plentiful at Bhotang,
where magnetite also occurs. The iron ores have
nowhere been put to any economic use.
It is abundant in the gneiss and
mica schists at places. But it
does not appear to be fit for the
market.
Gar󰈝󰈩󰉄:

8. Qu󰈀r󰉃󰉜󰈏te:
Occurrences of high grade quartzite with over 90
% silica has been found in parts of East, West &
South Sikkim. The quartzite occurrence at
Ranikhola - Mansari area of West Sikkim was
mined commercially, and the mine is being
considered for revival. Estimated mineable
reserve of some 70,000 tonnes at the area lies
unexploited.

9. Bib󰈗󰈎󰈢󰈈ra󰈥󰈋y:
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10. T󰉀A󰈯K󰈠
MADE BY : RAKSHIT DOGRA