Govt launches ₹210 crore research programme for critical minerals

The government has rolled out a Rs 210-crore, three-year critical minerals research programme led by ANRF and the Ministry of Mines, restricted to nine Centres of Excellence

The government has announced a Rs 210-crore research programme for critical raw materials for three years, however only nine pre-selected Centres of Excellence (COEs) will be allowed to apply. The three-year programme is being run by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) along with the Ministry of Mines.

 

Which institutions can apply and how must they collaborate?

 

These nine institutions, already recognised by the Ministry of Mines, must apply in groups. Each group will be led by the COE and must include at least two academic partners and two industry partners working in the field of critical minerals and related areas, such as materials science, geology, mining and metallurgy.

 

The nine COEs earlier recognised by the mines ministry include Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, IIT Hyderabad, Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad, IIT Roorkee, Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur, Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Center, Hyderabad, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, and Centre of Materials for Electronics and Technology (CMET), Hyderabad.

 

What are the project requirements and funding conditions?

 

Every proposal must focus on one clear industry problem. It also needs a plan showing how the research can move from an early stage to a usable technology. Projects must start from a minimum Technology Readiness Level of 2. Funding will be released only if yearly targets are met. Industry partners must also put in 10 per cent of the project cost in cash.

 

What areas of the critical minerals value chain will be covered?

 

The programme will support research across the full chain of critical minerals from exploration and mineral processing to extraction, recovery from mine waste and recycling.