Page 3 - Metals & Minerals

Rare earth magnet crisis: India's auto sector to head to Beijing for talks

Indian auto leaders to meet Chinese officials next week, aiming to resolve rare earth magnet export delays that threaten electric vehicle production and supply chain stability

MHI moves closer to rare earth magnet scheme, calls June 3 stakeholder meet

The industry group also suggested a delegation of auto-company representatives go to China to take up the matter with the authorities there

Trump admin to weigh request for leasing seabed mining of critical minerals

The Trump administration said Wednesday that it will consider selling leases to extract minerals from the seabed off the South Pacific island of American Samoa, a potential first step in a wider industry push to allow deep-sea mining that environmentalists oppose because they say it could irreparably harm marine ecosystems. The Department of Interior said it is responding to an April request from California-based company Impossible Metals for a commercial auction. The company wants to mine the ocean floor for deposits of nickel, cobalt and other critical minerals. Last month, President Trump signed an executive order directing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to fast-track permits for companies to mine the ocean floor in US and international waters. The move comes amid the Trump administration's trade war with China, which controls many critical minerals such as nickel, cobalt and manganese used in high-tech manufacturing, including for military uses. Critical ..

Global consulting firms keen to back Vedanta's $20 bn expansion projects

Several global consulting firms have shown interest in implementing Vedanta Ltd's USD 20-billion expansion projects spanning multiple segments, and the metal major will finalise the company in the current quarter, an official said. Vedanta plans to significantly expand its operations over the next three years, as it restructures into four entities -- Vedanta Aluminium, oil and gas, power, and iron and steel. Speaking with PTI, Vedanta Ltd Executive Director Arun Misra, said that "So, we have raised a global EOI and we have got multiple interests. We are finalising partners over a couple of weeks time....imagine a post-demerger, we have multiple businesses all listed and in that case, we at the group work as a private equity so that the EOI has witnessed multiple interests." When asked to name the companies which have shown interest, Misra said that "there are numerous and think of any large global consulting firms in India and the world over. They all have witnessed, they all have a

Industry confident of finding rare-earth supply alternatives: Vaishnaw

The restrictions on these metals were placed by China as part of its response to the reciprocal tariffs that were imposed on it by the United States

Seven rare earth minerals that China is weaponising in trade war with US

In response to punitive tariffs imposed by Washington, Beijing earlier this month added seven rare earths to its export control list

Govt may formalise incentives for critical minerals recycling this year

India has identified the 24 minerals as strategic and critical to its efforts to meet clean energy goals and move towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070

India's copper demand set to grow 7% on clean energy push: PHDCCI

Propelled by growing consumption in the renewable energy sector and infrastructure development, copper demand is likely to rise about 7 per cent in the country in the coming years, according to industry officials. Policy initiatives such as construction of industrial corridors, housing for all Indians, national highway development projects, and energy transition projects are driving the demand for copper and it is anticipated to increase significantly, PHDCCI President Hemant Jain said. "Copper demand is expected to rise by 7 per cent in India in coming years. The copper sector is expected to attract private investment, supported by handholding by the government, especially through initiatives such as the PLI and Atmanirbhar Bharat," Jain said. According to industry estimates, India's refined copper production is around 555,000 tonnes per year against domestic consumption of more than 750,000 tonnes. India imports around 500,000 tonnes of copper a year to meet local demand. Industr

US offered Ukraine deal to access minerals but offered little in return

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he directed his ministers not to sign off on a proposed agreement to give the United States access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals because the document was too focused on US interests. The proposal, which was at the centre of Zelenskyy's talks with US Vice President JD Vance on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday, did not offer any specific security guarantees in return, according to one current and one former senior official familiar with the talks. Zelenskyy's decision to reject a deal, at least for now, was described as short-sighted by a senior White House official. I didn't let the ministers sign a relevant agreement because in my view it is not ready to protect us, our interest, Zelenskyy told The Associated Press on Saturday in Munich. The proposal focused on how the US could use Kyiv's rare earth minerals as compensation for support already given to Ukraine by the Biden administration and as payment for fut

Budget 2025: FM calls for mining sector reforms, says govt to frame policy

The government on Saturday said it will launch a policy for recovery of critical minerals from tailings or by-products of mining. In her Budget speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said mining sector reforms, including those for minor minerals, will be encouraged through the sharing of best practices and the institution of a State Mining Index. She said, "A policy for recovery of critical minerals from tailings will be brought out." Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha on Saturday. Additionally, the finance minister announced the removal of import duty on 12 critical minerals, cobalt powder and waste, lithium-ion battery scrap, lead and zinc. The move, she said, would facilitate securing their availability for manufacturing in India and promote more jobs. In the last budget, the government had scrapped customs duty on 25 critical minerals that are not available in the domestic market. She had also reduced basic customs duty on two other such mine

Govt to kick off critical minerals mission to bolster energy transition

India is set to kick off a national mission for the critical and strategic minerals sector as the country looks to propel its journey towards green energy transition and boost electric vehicle manufacturing capacity. While much of 2024 was spent in doing ground work, the next is poised to be a landmark year for India's mineral and mining sector. As the world races to secure vital minerals for renewable energy and emerging technologies, India gears up to take the centre stage with the launch of its much-touted Critical Mineral Mission in 2025. This mission, a bold and collaborative effort, will unite ministries, industries, R&D institutions, and global think tanks in a shared vision to secure a sustainable supply of the minerals that power tomorrow's world. With a series of high-profile roadshows abroad along with plans to acquire critical mineral assets in Australia, India is set to woo international investors and make its mark on the global mining map. Mines Secretary V L Kantha .

First auction of its kind: 13 offshore mineral blocks up for bidding

Offers include sand blocks in Kollam, lime mud in Porbandar, and polymetallic reserves near Great Nicobar Island

HZL wins gold block, marks Vedanta group's entry into yellow metal business

Says it has been declared the "preferred bidder" for the Dugocha Gold Block, as confirmed by the Department of Mines and Geology, Rajasthan, via a notification dated November 15

ONGC to soon open 5 wells in KG basin to boost gas, crude output in H2FY25

Of the six announced discoveries so far in FY25, one has been monetised so far

Vedanta Ltd plans to invest around $550 million in AvanStrate Inc

AvanStrate has operations and R&D capabilities across Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan

Vedanta, Oil India, Hindustan Zinc emerge top bidders in mineral auctions

The latest awards follow a second-round auction held after the initial round failed to attract sufficient interest, as the government mandates at least three technically qualified bids per block

Centre introduces new royalty rates ahead of first offshore mineral auction

The Act has established ad valorem royalty rates for key minerals, meaning that rates are based on the mineral's sale value rather than quantity

India remains highly dependent on imports of critical minerals, says report

India remains highly dependent on imports for minerals critical to accelerating its energy transition, with a full reliance on shipping in lithium, cobalt and nickel, according to a report released Monday. The report, published by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), said that India's demand for critical minerals is expected to more than double by 2030, while domestic mining operations may take over a decade to start producing. It stresses that India needs a carefully crafted import strategy to mitigate potential trade risks while balancing international relationships to secure these essential minerals. IEEFA's report examines five critical minerals (and their compounds) cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium and nickel from the perspectives of import dependency, trade dynamics, domestic availability, and global price fluctuations. The findings show that India remains largely import-dependent for these minerals and their compounds, with 100 per cent impor

Lower production cost likely to support Hindustan Zinc's margins

The volume of mined metal for Q2FY25 stood at 256 kilo tonnes or kt (up 2 per cent Y-o-Y, down 2 per cent Q-o-Q), due to higher ore production at Zawar mine offset by lower volume at SK Mine

Mine over matter: Critical mineral policy must address industry needs

Creating a responsive enabling environment for the critical mineral mining industry is the key to ensuring that this vital business does not go the way of previous governments' oil exploration policy