The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) established in 1948, is a multi-disciplinary government organisation under the Department of Mines, Ministry of Mines, engaged in promotion of conservation, scientific development of mineral resources and protection of environment in mines other than coal, petroleum & natural gas, atomic minerals and minor minerals.From a small beginning as a purely advisory body, the IBM has emerged into a premier national organisation involved deeply into the various aspects of the mineral industry. The current functions of IBM include promoting conservation of mineral resources by way of inspection of mines, geological studies, scrutiny and approval of mining plans and mining schemes, conducting environmental studies and environment related activities, evolving technologies for upgradation of low grade ores and identifying avenues for their utilisation, preparation of feasibility reports for mining and beneficiation projects , preparation of minerals maps and National Mineral Inventory of minerals resources; providing technical consultancy services to mineral industry, and functioning as a data bank for mines and minerals, and preparing of technical and statistical publications.Headed by the Controller General, IBM has six technical divisions with its head quarters at Nagpur. There is a Modern Mineral Processing Laboratory and Pilot Plant established with the assistance of United Nations Development Programme at Nagpur. IBM has 3 Zonal Offices, 12 Regional Offices and 2 Sub-Regional Offices , 2 Regional Ore Dressing Laboratories and Pilot Plants spread over the Country. The IBM offices are located at Ajmer Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Chennai, Dehra Dun, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jabalpur, Nagpur, Nellore, Ranchi, and Udaipur; and the Pilot plants & Ore Dressing Laboratories at Ajmer, Bangalore, and Nagpur.