India’s lead mining industry is concentrated mainly in Rajasthan, where lead is commonly extracted together with zinc and silver. The most important active producer is Hindustan Zinc Limited, while the main mining areas are spread across Bhilwara, Rajsamand, Udaipur and Ajmer.
Hindustan Zinc Limited
Hindustan Zinc is the main lead mining and production company in India. It operates integrated zinc-lead-silver mines, processing facilities and lead smelters.
Its major mining operations include:
- Rampura Agucha – Bhilwara
- Rajpura Dariba – Rajsamand
- Sindesar Khurd – Rajsamand
- Zawar – Udaipur
- Kayad – Ajmer
- Bamnia Kalan – Rajasthan
The company produces lead along with zinc and silver because its mines contain polymetallic deposits. This makes HZL different from companies that operate dedicated single-metal lead mines.
Main Mining Areas
Bhilwara: Rampura Agucha is one of the country's major zinc-lead mining operations.
Rajsamand: This district contains the Rajpura Dariba and Sindesar Khurd mining areas, both important sources of lead-bearing ore.
Udaipur: The Zawar group of mines is one of India's established zinc-lead-silver mining regions.
Ajmer: The Kayad mine is another active zinc-lead operation.
Production and Processing
Hindustan Zinc does not only extract lead-bearing ore. Its operations cover underground mining, ore processing, smelting and refined metal production. Its lead production is therefore connected to the wider zinc-lead-silver production chain.
The company produced about 225,000 tonnes of refined lead in FY2024–25, showing the scale of its lead business.
Vedanta Group
Vedanta is also relevant because Hindustan Zinc is part of the Vedanta Group. However, when identifying companies that actually operate the major lead mines, Hindustan Zinc is the more appropriate name to use rather than treating Vedanta as a separate mining operator.
Conclusion
India's lead-mining sector is mainly centered around one major operating company, Hindustan Zinc, with its mining activity concentrated in Rajasthan. The combination of lead, zinc and silver deposits is a key feature of the industry. The major operating areas in Bhilwara, Rajsamand, Udaipur and Ajmer make Rajasthan the country's main center for lead mining and production.