Department Of Mining & Geology

What Department Of Mining & Geology does

The Department of Mining and Geology is a directorate of the Government of Kerala responsible for mineral exploration, mining administration, concession management, and mineral revenue collection across the state. The department originated as the Geology Department in 1946 and was reorganized into its current form in 1970. It administers the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 and the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules 2015 (and successor rule sets), issuing quarrying permits, mining leases, dealer licenses, and electronic mineral transit passes through the KOMPAS (Kerala Online Mining Permit Administrative System) portal.

Its operating assets include a headquarters directorate in Thiruvananthapuram, district offices in all 14 Kerala districts, three zonal Kerala Mineral Squad enforcement units, an NABL-accredited Chemical Laboratory for mineral analysis, a Gem Testing Laboratory for gemstone certification, and a Drone-LiDAR survey capability for geological mapping. The revenue model is statutory, comprising royalties on extraction of major and minor minerals (ilmenite, rutile, zircon, monazite, granite, laterite, China clay, silica sand, limestone, ordinary earth), dead rent, dealer license fees, and laboratory service charges — all prescribed under published schedules. Indicative annual collections were Rs. 192.12 crore in FY2020-21, Rs. 160.11 crore in FY2019-20, and Rs. 171.29 crore in FY2018-19.

The department's customer base spans multiple user segments: heavy mineral sand processors such as Indian Rare Earths Ltd. and Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd. operating at the Chavara deposit, China clay processors (EICL, Kerala Ceramics, Kerala Clays and Ceramic Products), granite and building stone quarry operators, cement and lime industries, construction and infrastructure contractors, gold exploration companies in Wayanad and Attappady, glass manufacturers using Alappuzha silica sand, and citizens requiring minor mineral permits. Distribution occurs through the physical 14-district office network and the self-serve KOMPAS portal.

Name

Department Of Mining & Geology

Legal name

Department of Mining and Geology, Government of Kerala

Website

https://dmg.kerala.gov.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Department of Mining and Geology is a directorate of the Government of Kerala responsible for mineral exploration, mining permits, concession administration, and royalty collection across all 14 districts of the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Mining Administration

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (213), Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114)

SIC

Metal Mining (1000), Miscellaneous Metal Ores (1090)

akta.pro primary industry

Minerals, Mining & Geologic Resources Administration (BPAIAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA), Environmental, Permitting & Closure Services (EIA, Compliance Monitoring, Reclamation Execution) (IMAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Mineral resource management
• Mining permit administration
• Geological survey services
• Mineral concession regulation
• Government mining department

Headquarters

HQ city

Thiruvananthapuram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Mineral Royalties: Collection of royalties from extraction of minor minerals including granite building stone, laterite, ordinary earth, China clay, silica sand, limestone, and other minor minerals under the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules 2015.
2. Major Mineral Revenue: Revenue collection from major minerals including Heavy Mineral Sands (ilmenite, rutile, zircon, monazite), limestone, and other significant mineral deposits.
3. Quarrying Permit and Lease Fees: Fees collected for grant and renewal of quarrying permits, mining leases, dealer licenses, and transit passes under statutory rules.
4. Service Charges: Service charges for various departmental services including mining plan approval, gem testing, chemical analysis, and regulatory compliance inspections.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Department of Mining and Geology is the statutory state government body of Kerala responsible for mineral exploration, mining administration, and management of mineral concessions. It issues quarrying permits, mining leases, and dealer licenses under the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules 2015, operates the KOMPAS online portal for permit management, and provides gem testing and chemical analysis through its NABL-accredited laboratories. The department also enforces mining regulations through its Kerala Mineral Squad units and conducts geological surveys of the state's mineral resources.

Product overview

The Department of Mining and Geology, Kerala operates as a government regulatory body providing mineral administration services rather than a commercial software product. Its core offerings include the KOMPAS online portal for mining permit and concession management, laboratory services (Gem Testing Laboratory and Chemical Laboratory), and information systems for mineral resources, district surveys, and revenue tracking. The department also provides statutory forms, schedules, and compliance documentation under the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KOMPAS (Kerala Online Mining and Geology Portal): Online portal system for mining administration and mineral concession management operated by the department.

Products and services

• KOMPAS (Kerala Online Mining Permit And Surveillance)

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Mines, Government of IndiacoreOthersNodal ministry providing policy direction, Central Geological Programming Board coordination, and national mineral policy framework within which the state department operates. Participates in national mineral exploration initiatives.
• Geological Survey of India (GSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative geological mapping, mineral prospecting coordination, and exploration data sharing. GSI serves as the nodal department for the Central Geological Programming Board where Kerala DMG participates as a member.
• Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical guidance on mining regulations, major mineral administration, and standards for mineral conservation. IBM provides statutory frameworks for major mineral concession management.
• Indian Rare Earths Ltd. (IRE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState enterprise extracting ilmenite and other heavy minerals from the Chavara barrier beach deposit. Blocks I-VIII of the Chavara deposit are apportioned between IRE and KMML.
• Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd. (KMML)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government undertaking manufacturing titanium dioxide pigment from ilmenite. Operates mining blocks in the Chavara heavy mineral deposit, one of the world's class deposits.
• State Geology and Mining Departments of Other StatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination with other state geology departments through forums like State Geological Programming Boards for inter-state mineral resource sharing and regulatory harmonization.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Department of Mines and Geology, Government of Karnataka: State-level counterpart administering mineral concessions, quarrying permits and mineral revenue in Karnataka. Directly comparable as a sister state department with identical regulatory mandate under the MMDR Act and state minor mineral rules.
• Geological Survey of India (GSI): Central government geological mapping and mineral exploration agency. Directly comparable as the national-level counterpart to the Kerala DMG, collaborating on geological mapping, mineral prospecting, and Central Geological Programming Board coordination.
• Directorate of Geology and Mining, Government of Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh state directorate managing mineral concessions, mining leases and mineral revenue across multiple districts. Comparable in operating mineral administration at scale across a large state with diverse minerals.
• Department of Mines and Geology, Government of Rajasthan: Largest state-level mining administration department in India, managing leading production of marble, limestone, sandstone, and base metals. Comparable in mandate and digital permit systems for mineral concession management.
• Directorate of Mines and Geology, Government of Goa: Goa state directorate administering iron ore and major mineral concessions. Directly comparable as a smaller coastal state directorate with statutory mineral administration, royalty collection and enforcement functions.
• Department of Mines and Geology, Government of Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu state department administering mineral concessions, granite quarrying leases and beach sand minerals. Closely comparable given shared heavy mineral sand resources in the southern Indian coastline and similar statutory functions.
• Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM): Statutory body for major mineral regulation and conservation in India. Comparable as it provides statutory frameworks for major mineral concession management and technical guidance that the Kerala DMG operates within.

Others

• Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML): Kerala state PSU producing titanium dioxide pigment from ilmenite mined at Chavara. Adjacent state-owned partner concessionaire operating mining blocks under Kerala DMG's mineral concession administration.
• Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL): Government PSU that mines heavy mineral sands including ilmenite, rutile, zircon and monazite. Adjacent ecosystem participant; one of the core downstream concessionaires administered by Kerala DMG at the Chavara deposit.

Emerging players

• Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL): Central PSU providing mineral exploration services across India. Comparable as a specialized mineral exploration service provider that coordinates with state DMGs including Kerala on geological survey and resource assessment projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-mining-&-geology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department Of Mining & Geology