The Government of Rajasthan has signed a landmark agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) to develop an artificial intelligence-based mineral exploration system. The ₹8.5 crore partnership was formalised during the Pravasi Rajasthani Divas 2025 at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre on 13 December 2025.
The memorandum of understanding was signed in the presence of the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, the Union Minister of Coal and Mines, and Prof. B. S. Murty, Director of IIT Hyderabad. This collaboration makes Rajasthan one of the first Indian states to use advanced computational geoscience tools for mineral intelligence and exploration planning.
Under this agreement, IIT Hyderabad will create a comprehensive prediction model that combines geological, geochemical, geophysical and multispectral satellite data from 39 districts across Rajasthan. The system will use artificial intelligence and machine learning to generate mineral prospectivity maps.
The AI-driven platform will help identify potential zones for critical minerals including lithium, copper, graphite, zinc, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements. These resources are essential for India’s clean energy transition and manufacturing sector growth.
T. Ravikant, Principal Secretary, Department of Mines, Geology and Petroleum, Government of Rajasthan, explained the significance of the initiative. He stated that the state will apply AI and ML for exploring critical and strategic minerals under national programmes of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Digital India.
He added that a letter of intent has been signed between Rajasthan State Mineral Exploration Trust (RSMET) and IIT Hyderabad for data exchange and modelling. The project will be completed in four phases over approximately 18 months, with outcomes expected to support a mineral development model and long-term roadmap for the state.
Prof. B. S. Murty welcomed the partnership, stating that this collaboration brings IIT Hyderabad into the mainstream of India’s critical mineral and resource intelligence mission. He emphasised that by combining advanced AI and ML techniques with geoscience, the institute is creating tools to help India become a global leader in exploration technologies.
The IIT Hyderabad Director noted that this MoU aligns with the institute’s commitment to build solutions for Atmanirbhar Bharat and strengthen the nation’s technological leadership in mineral exploration. He mentioned ongoing relevant projects including the Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub (AICMRH) Bilateral Project and the Centre of Excellence on Critical Minerals.
The project will be led by Dr. C. Krishna Mohan, Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Hyderabad, in collaboration with Critical Mineral Trackers, a startup based at the Technology Research Park at IIT Hyderabad.
The initiative will deliver district-wise analytics, data dashboards and decision-support tools to the Rajasthan State Mineral Exploration Trust. The system is designed to accelerate the discovery of critical minerals vital for India’s clean energy and manufacturing goals.
Officials believe this AI-driven model can be adopted by other states across India. With global demand for lithium, rare earth elements and battery metals rising sharply, this effort positions both Rajasthan and India strategically within the future mineral supply chain.
