Rajasthan is India's fifth-largest mineral income state, significantly contributing to national mineral production with a record revenue of Rs 9,202.5 crore for the Financial Year 2024-25, a growth of 23.4%. The state is rich in lignite, gypsum, and various clays, with 82% of the country's gypsum resources located there. Mining activities, particularly opencast methods, cause environmental degradation, including loss of land, reduced fertility and pollution of groundwater. This leads to threats to local ecosystems and public health. The paper highlights the necessity of wasteland management and afforestation in fragile ecosystem of Thar Desert.