Bhutan’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has completed its first nationwide airborne geophysical survey, uncovering promising geological targets for critical minerals including copper, tungsten, and rare earth elements.Utilizing helicopters equipped with magnetic, gravity, and LiDAR sensors, the Department of Geology and Mines mapped approximately 15,410 square kilometers—covering roughly 40 percent of the country’s mountainous terrain across the Lower Southern Belt and the Thimphu-Paro region.Officials noted that while the high-resolution survey logged over 43,800 line-kilometers and revealed favorable rock formations like skarn and granitic intrusions, the detected anomalies indicate geological potential rather than confirmed, commercially viable deposits.Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay noted that the preliminary results mark an important transition toward understanding Bhutan’s subsurface wealth, though thorough ground validation, geochemical sampling, and scientific verification are required before economic feasibility can be established.Beyond critical metallic minerals vital for green technology and semiconductor manufacturing, the survey also identified prospective geothermal energy structures, signaling a transformative shift for Bhutan’s resource strategy.