New Delhi, July 22 -- India has identified substantial rare earth element deposits totaling nearly 8.5 million tonnes, significantly exceeding previous estimates, Union Minister of Mines GK Reddy announced in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

The discovery represents a notable increase from earlier projections of 6.99 million tonnes and positions India as a more substantial player in the global rare earth market.

The bulk of these resources consists of 7.23 million tonnes of rare earth elements oxide contained within 13.15 million tonnes of monazite deposits.

These reserves are distributed across eight states: Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

The monazite mineral contains approxima...