Minerals

France pitches processing partnership for India's rare earth ambitions

French official says India should invest in rare earth processing and refining before domestic mines start production, while expanding technology, financing and research partnerships

Updated On: 08 Jul 2026 | 4:24 PM IST

Govt scraps 9 critical mineral blocks auction citing poor investor response

The government has cancelled the auction of nine critical and strategic mineral blocks, citing poor investor response and lack of qualified bidders. These blocks were put on the block in the seventh round of sale. The development comes as a setback to the government's efforts to ramp up domestic exploration and production of critical minerals that are central to the country's push for energy security, clean-tech manufacturing and cutting down dependence on imports. It also reflects the challenge of drawing private investment into riskier mineral assets, where technical complexities, higher capital costs and regulatory uncertainties tend to dampen bidding interest. The government had cancelled several critical and strategic mineral block auctions in the previous rounds as well -- 11 blocks in the sixth round, five in the fifth, 11 in the fourth, three in the third, 14 in the second and 13 in the first tranche. "Since there were nil bids... the auction process for... two mineral bloc

Updated On: 05 Jul 2026 | 10:19 AM IST

'Free and open Indo-Pacific' top agenda of Modi-Takaichi talks in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi are expected to deepen cooperation in defence, semiconductors, critical minerals, supply chains and energy security

Updated On: 02 Jul 2026 | 12:11 AM IST

Centre auctions 10 critical and strategic mineral blocks in seventh tranche

India auctioned 10 critical mineral blocks in the seventh tranche, expanding domestic supply efforts for rare earths and strategic minerals across new states

Updated On: 23 Jun 2026 | 10:46 PM IST

N.A.N. GreenMet, Silox form joint venture for battery recycling platform

The 50:50 joint venture will establish an advanced lithium-ion battery recycling and critical minerals recovery platform in Andhra Pradesh

Updated On: 18 Jun 2026 | 7:27 PM IST

State-owned miner directed to boost output, profitability in Rajasthan

Rajasthan has asked RSMML to boost mineral output, profitability and turnover through technology adoption, potash exploration and aggressive marketing

Updated On: 18 Jun 2026 | 4:30 PM IST

India in talks for rare earth samples from Rosneft-owned Siberian deposit

State-backed IREL is at the forefront of India's global outreach to secure rare earth supplies to meet rising domestic demand and wean itself off dependence on China

Updated On: 16 Jun 2026 | 1:38 PM IST

India's first fly ash-rare earth tender to be awarded in two months

The state-run miner plans to award a pilot project for extracting rare earth elements from fly ash within two months, potentially opening a new domestic source of critical minerals

Updated On: 14 Jun 2026 | 10:45 PM IST

Royalty payable at dispatch rate, not contract rate, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has ruled that mineral royalty is payable at the rate prevailing on the date of dispatch or removal, regardless of earlier contractual terms

Updated On: 05 Jun 2026 | 10:04 PM IST

India, UK launch observatory to track critical minerals supply chains

The joint platform will monitor global critical mineral supply chains, identify risks and support policymaking amid growing demand from clean energy and advanced manufacturing sectors

Updated On: 04 Jun 2026 | 8:27 PM IST

Centre plans ₹3,000 cr incentive outlay to boost lithium, nickel processing

Nickel and lithium are critical to India's EV ‌supply chain, especially when it comes to batteries, as New Delhi targets 30 per cent ​electric ‌car penetration and 80 per cent for two-wheelers by 2030

Updated On: 04 Jun 2026 | 10:51 AM IST

India's IIP basket gets a refresh: Rare earths in, kerosene out

The recommendations are contained in the report of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), released by the National Statistics Office on Monday

Updated On: 25 May 2026 | 10:19 PM IST

India, South Africa institutions partner for research in critical minerals

TEXMiN Foundation, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad on Friday said it has signed a pact with the University of Pretoria, South Africa, for research collaboration in the field of critical minerals, rare earth element processing, recycling, extraction technologies and advanced mining innovation. Under the partnership, the two institutions will jointly undertake research, technology development and academic exchange programmes, and identify collaborative projects in sectors linked to lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel, manganese, aluminium, copper, rare earth elements (REEs), battery materials and other critical minerals. The partnership aims to jointly explore and develop technological solutions across the mining value chain while strengthening global cooperation in emerging critical mineral ecosystems. Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation (TEXMiN) is a company created under the aegis of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) programme by the .

Updated On: 15 May 2026 | 11:21 PM IST

India, Russia in advanced talks for critical minerals agreement: Report

New Delhi has signed critical minerals agreements with Argentina, Australia and Japan, and is in talks with Peru and Chile on broader bilateral agreements that also include critical minerals

Updated On: 12 May 2026 | 6:05 PM IST

Vedanta eyes three critical minerals, weighs rare earth magnet foray

Vedanta plans to add three critical minerals in five years and is evaluating rare earth magnet manufacturing as it deepens its play in India's strategic minerals ecosystem

Updated On: 01 May 2026 | 8:07 PM IST

Govt okays 58 critical mineral recyclers; investment commitments hit ₹5K cr

Companies pledge to create recycling capacity of 850 KTPA

Updated On: 30 Apr 2026 | 10:45 PM IST

Vedanta eyes three critical minerals, explores rare earth magnets

Mining major targets portfolio expansion and evaluates entry into rare earth magnet manufacturing as it deepens its role in India's strategic minerals ecosystem

Updated On: 30 Apr 2026 | 9:15 PM IST

NavPrakriti to invest ₹100 crore in Odisha critical minerals facility

Battery recycling firm plans greenfield plant to extract cobalt, nickel and lithium, boosting domestic recovery of critical minerals and strengthening supply chains

Updated On: 21 Apr 2026 | 9:41 PM IST

US backs rare earths project in South Africa despite diplomatic clash

Two enormous sandlike dunes at an old chemical processing plant in South Africa are at the centre of an exploratory US-backed project to extract highly sought-after rare earth elements from industrial mining waste. The Phalaborwa Rare Earths Project has US support through a USD 50 million equity investment by the government's International Development Finance Corporation and is part of accelerated US efforts to reduce reliance on economic rival China for the minerals crucial for making electronic devices, robotics, defence systems, electric vehicles and other high-tech products. Countries have identified dozens of minerals, including copper, cobalt, lithium and nickel, as critical because they are essential for new technologies. The 17 rare earth elements are a subset of them. President Donald Trump has made expanding US access to critical minerals, including rare earth elements, a central policy to counter China. The Trump administration said this year it will deploy nearly USD 12

Updated On: 19 Apr 2026 | 12:52 PM IST

Parliamentary panel flags policy, capacity gaps in offshore mining push

Govt annulled first auction of 13 offshore mineral blocks after muted investor response last December

Updated On: 17 Apr 2026 | 8:58 PM IST