Page 4 - Minerals

India needs to be self-reliant in rare earth element production: Prez Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu said on Friday that India should achieve self-reliance in production of rare earth elements, given the current geopolitical situation. This would help India achieve its target of becoming a developed nation and play an important role in ensuring the security of the country, Murmu said while speaking at the National Geoscience Awards 2024 here. "Seeing the current geopolitical situation it is very important that India becomes self-reliant in production of rare earth elements," she said. These elements are not rare because their availability is scarce but the process to identify these elements is very complicated, she said, adding that the development of indigenous technique will help complete this complicated process. President Murmu said this is the age of artificial intelligence, semiconductior, and clean energy technology. Rare earth elements are essential in smartphones, electric vehicles (EVs), and renewable energy technologies. Rare Earth Elements (R

How China's 500kW antenna is giving it a clear lead in the mineral race

China is using its massive 500kW electromagnetic antenna, originally for submarines, to detect hidden lithium, cobalt, gold, and rare earths, boosting its lead in global mineral exploration

Mines ministry launches sixth critical minerals auction, PSU welfare plan

The mines ministry launched the sixth tranche of critical minerals auction for 23 blocks across 13 states and announced Rs 1 crore insurance cover for PSU miners

Govt to auction 23 critical mineral blocks in sixth tranche on Tuesday

The Centre will launch the sixth tranche of auctions for critical and strategic minerals on Tuesday, offering 23 blocks and announcing the first set of bidders for exploration licences

India must develop rare earth magnet ecosystem urgently: SIAM president

India must act decisively to fully leverage the vast opportunities that exist in India for developing the entire rare earth magnet ecosystem, SIAM President Shailesh Chandra said on Thursday. The government is considering incentives for the production of rare earth minerals and magnets in response to China's restrictions on its global supply, which have disrupted the supply chain. "Magnets have since snowballed and industry is presently trying to somehow manage its businesses," said Chandra here at the annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) "... there are discussions underway to look at the possibility of developing the entire Rare Earth Magnet ecosystem in India. Therefore, to fully leverage the vast opportunities that exist in our country, we must act decisively," said Chandra, who is also Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility. Chandra further said the Indian automotive industry today stands at an

India taps Myanmar rebels for rare earth supply amid China's tight control

The Ministry of Mines has asked both state-run and private companies to collect and transport rare earth samples from Kachin Independence Army (KIA)-controlled mines in northeastern Myanmar

A critical mission: Recycling critical minerals can offer near-term cushion

What makes recycling particularly urgent is the long gestation period associated with mining and exploration

Cabinet clears ₹1,500 cr scheme to promote critical mineral recycling

The Union Cabinet has approved a Rs 1,500 crore scheme under the National Critical Mineral Mission to promote recycling of e-waste and batteries for mineral recovery

Govt clears ₹1.5k cr incentive scheme to promote critical mineral recycling

The Cabinet on Wednesday gave its go-ahead to a Rs 1,500 crore incentive scheme to promote recycling of critical minerals in the country. The decision was taken during the cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The scheme aims at developing recycling capacity in the country for the separation and production of critical minerals from secondary sources. These include e-waste, Lithium Ion Battery (LIB) scrap, and scrap other than e-waste & LIB scrap, such as catalytic converters in end-of-life vehicles. "The Union Cabinet...today approved a Rs 1,500 crore incentive scheme," the mines ministry said in a statement. This scheme is part of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which is aimed at building the domestic capacity and supply chain resilience in critical minerals. Earlier, the government approved a Rs 16,300-crore National Critical Mineral Mission, with a total outlay of Rs 34,300 crore spread over seven years, aiming to achieve ...

Critical mineral blocks auction: A snapshot of the progress so far

Since the launch of auctions for critical minerals in 2023, the government has offered 81 blocks across five tranches

Madhya Pradesh to emerge as hub for critical minerals: CM Mohan Yadav

CM Mohan Yadav said Singrauli's rare earth element reserves will make MP a hub for critical minerals, reducing India's reliance on China and boosting self-reliance in key technologies

Rajya Sabha passes Mines and Minerals Bill amid Opposition protests

Rajya Sabha passes amendments to the Mines and Minerals Bill, including provisions on coal production, adding minerals to existing leases, and establishment of the National Mineral Exploration Trust

China rare earth exports rise to six-month high on July shipment surge

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said earlier this month that China was "about halfway there" in terms of returning magnet supplies to where they were prior to the controls

Centre speeds approvals for critical minerals, no exemption from green law

The Environment Ministry has set up a separate category on its online clearance portal to speed up approvals for mining projects involving critical minerals, a move aimed at boosting domestic supply of resources considered essential for clean energy and advanced technologies, the government informed Parliament on Monday. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said the Mines Ministry had in February requested faster clearances for such projects, following which the new facility was added to the Parivesh 2.0 portal on March 13. The step comes after amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, which gave the Centre powers to auction 24 minerals identified as critical and strategic. These include lithium, nickel, tungsten, titanium and graphite, which India largely imports but needs for sectors such as defence, electronics and renewable energy. So far, 34 blocks of these minerals have been auctioned acr

Self sufficiency in critical minerals a work in progress, says PM Modi

Highlighting government efforts, PM Modi said the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) has already been launched, with exploration work underway at more than 1,200 locations

MMDR Bill proposes mine expansion, relief on critical mineral charges

Bill allows easier lease expansion for deep-seated minerals, waives charges for critical minerals, removes captive sale cap, and sets up mineral exchanges to boost mining output

Govt targets critical minerals security through mining law changes

The proposal, aimed at securing long-term access to resources like lithium, copper, cobalt, and rare earth elements, comes amid tightening global supply and rising geopolitical risks

Only nominated firms to mine offshore uranium, thorium under new norms

The new rules notified under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, are aimed at unlocking India's offshore atomic mineral potential

Maruti says engineers working to mitigate rare earth magnet shortage issue

Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday said its engineers are working to mitigate the rare earth magnet shortage issue, noting that there has been no impact on its production so far. In an analyst call post the company's June quarter financial results, Maruti Suzuki India Senior Executive Officer Corporate Affairs Rahul Bharti termed the shortage a challenging situation. "So, it is a challenge, and of course, our engineers are working to mitigate it and ensure that we do not have the impact of this. "So, it's work in progress, but as of now, we are managing the situation. If and when there is an impact, we'll come back to you to answer your question," Bharti replied to a query on the matter. The recent imposition of export restrictions by China on key rare earth magnets has resulted in supply chain bottlenecks, impacting the user industries, including the auto and electronics sectors. China currently dominates the global rare earth magnet supply chain, controlling over 90 per cent of glo