Nonmetallic minerals/ rocks like limestone, magnesite, dolomite, phosphorite, talc, quartz, mica, clay, silica sand, gemstones, decorative and dimension stones, construction materials etc. are the common nonmetallic minerals.
(a) Limestone: Over 1.25 billion metric tons of cement grade limestone deposits are known from the Lesser Himalayan region only.
(b) It is known that over 5 billion tons (possible) of dolomite occur mainly in the Lesser Himalaya and in some parts of Higher Himalayan region. Most of them are not yet explored in detail and still we do not know their grade and quality to utilize as raw materials for industries.
(C) Phosphorite is one of the main raw materials to manufacture chemical fertilizers. Massive cherty and stromatolitic dolomite of Pre-Cambrian to Lower Paleozoic age occurs in Baitadi. Detridal phosphorite fragments (<1mm - 1.5cm) are recorded from Eocene argillaceous limestone at Sewar Khola (Dang) and Mari Khola (Pyuthan). Exploration of phosphorite in the vicinity of MBT was able to trace few phosphatic rocks consisting of <5% P²O⁵. Only few phosphatic nodules/ lenses consist of up to 22% P²O⁵ in Takure, Barahakshetra, Tawakhola (Kazitsyn, 1970); Gawar Khola, Sewar Khola in Midwestern Nepal and in Khulia Khola (Kaphle 1977 & 1997) in Farwestern Nepal.


Fig. 5: Mineral Resources Map of Nepal (Only few locations are shown)
(Source: DMG compiled by Krishna P. Kaphle, 2007)

(d) 180 million tons of magnesite deposit is known in Kharidhunga (Dolakha district); 20 million tons of mediums to low-grade magnesite deposit in Kampughat in Udayapur; and few small size magnesite occurrences from Palpa, Baitadi and Ramechhap have been identified. Based on Kharidhunga magnesite an open cast mine has been developed to exploit magnesite as a raw material for Dead Burnt Magnesite (DBM) plant located in Lamosanghu.

Occurrences of (e) talc (f) Mica (g) Ceramic clay/ Red clay (h) Silica sand (j) Salt: Brine water (k) Barites (l) Calcite (m) Diatomite are also reported from different parts of Nepal.