Minerals

India's first mineral exchange likely to begin operations by FY28: Official

India's first mineral exchange, which would create a transparent, electronic delivery-based trading platform for minerals, is likely to be registered and operationalised by the next financial year, according to a top government official. This comes after the mines ministry's notification of the Mineral Exchange Rules, 2026 in June. The exchange would create a transparent, electronic delivery-based trading platform for minerals, facilitate market-based price discovery and reduce information asymmetry between producers and buyers. "We expect to register and operationalise the first Mineral Exchange by the next financial year. Work on the registration of the exchange is currently under way," Mines Additional Secretary Veena Kumari Dermal said during 60th Annual General Meeting of Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI). The ministry notified the Mineral Exchange Rules in June to create a state-of-the-art platform with transparent price discovery and standardised quality ...

Coal India plans to raise annual R&D spending to ₹500 crore by FY30

The state-run miner plans to scale up research spending across mining, critical minerals, clean coal and energy-transition technologies, with the annual outlay reaching Rs 500 crore by FY30.

Mining to recycling: Pvt companies building India's lithium supply chain

From Zimbabwean mines and domestic refineries to battery recycling, Lohum, Altmin, Attero and Navprakriti are building alternative sources of lithium amid country's high import dependence

Saudi Arabia unveils 110-mn-tonne rare earth, uranium find as US ties grow

The discovery comes as Riyadh races to develop domestic critical minerals and a civilian nuclear energy programme, while seeking to build a broader value chain around uranium and rare earth elements

China extracts critical metals from lithium waste in a global first

China's new 17-tower extraction system can recover more than 98% of caesium and 95% of rubidium from lithium-processing waste, creating a new domestic source of the metals

Govt backs private miners' overseas push to secure critical minerals

Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy says the government is working with the External Affairs Ministry to support private miners seeking opportunities in mineral-rich countries

Best of BS Opinion: Government must get real on spending

Today's opinions examine India's critical-minerals strategy, FSSAI's food-warning labels, Budget discipline, the RBI's dollar-rupee swaps and lessons from industrial policy

Mission mineral

India needs to build processing capabilities

Indian miners building critical mineral assets in resource-rich Africa

Das said India's graphite demand is expected to rise sharply as battery manufacturing gathers pace, but China continues to dominate the global supply chain

India, Zambia resume talks on copper, critical mineral investments

Officials from India's Mines Ministry held preliminary talks with Zambia on August 26 as New Delhi seeks overseas sources of copper and other critical minerals

Chhattisgarh eyes ₹4 trillion revenue from 65 auctioned mineral blocks

Five Chhattisgarh blocks are part of the Centre's latest critical mineral auction as the state seeks a key role in India's strategic mineral supply chains

MMDR Bill 2026 explained: Why states are opposing the new mining rules

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, passed by Parliament on August 13, 2026,

Nalco launches pilot plant to recover value-added products, rare earths

The facility, developed with IMMT and KIIT, will focus on recovering ferro-titanium alloy, metallic iron and rare earth elements, including scandium, from industrial residue

MMDR Bill may ease retrospective tax burden on miners, steelmakers

The Bill seeks to restrict states' powers to impose taxes and cesses on mineral rights and could provide relief from retrospective liabilities arising from a 2024 SC ruling

NMDC scouts Argentina's copper belt as critical minerals push gathers pace

State-run miner explores partnerships across six Argentine provinces for copper, lithium and rare earths as it expands its overseas critical minerals strategy

India's critical minerals demand set to surge 10 times by 2047: Report

Grant Thornton Bharat has called for faster investment in recycling, refining, traceability, and overseas assets as clean energy and electric mobility drive mineral demand

India and Myanmar deepen rare earths ties amid China supply concerns

India and Myanmar are strengthening cooperation on rare earths and critical minerals, as Centre seeks to diversify supplies of strategic resources dominated by China

Odisha's Paradip to anchor critical minerals value chain with mega park

Paradip has been selected as one of four locations for critical mineral processing parks under the NCMM to strengthen domestic supply chains for EVs, semiconductors and defence

Centre offers 20 critical mineral blocks in eighth auction tranche

The Centre has launched the eighth tranche of critical mineral auctions, offering 20 blocks across nine states as it seeks to strengthen India's strategic mineral value chain

Why critical minerals are becoming central to India's bilateral deals

As competition for critical minerals intensifies, India is strengthening partnerships with resource-rich nations to secure supplies needed for its clean energy, EV and semiconductor ambitions