Critical Minerals

National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) Launched (2025): Aims for self-reliance in critical minerals, supporting India’s clean energy goals and national security.

Why Critical Minerals Matter: Essential for modern technologies (solar panels, wind turbines, EVs, energy storage) and defense. Supply chain vulnerabilities exist due to limited availability and geographical concentration.

India’s Identified Critical Minerals: 30 minerals listed, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements (REEs).

Central Government Auctioning Powers: 24 minerals added to Part D of Schedule I of the MMDR Act, 1957, granting the Central Government exclusive auctioning rights.

Centre of Excellence for Critical Minerals (CECM): Established to regularly review the mineral list and guide policy.

Geological Survey of India (GSI) Role: Leading exploration efforts, with 1,200 projects planned (2024-25 to 2030-31), and following UNFC classification.

Domestic Exploration Boost: GSI intensifies exploration programs, including 195 projects in the 2024-25 field season, with a focus on critical mineral deposits. Over 100 critical mineral blocks are set to be auctioned.

International Cooperation: KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) actively pursuing overseas mineral assets, including agreements with Argentina (lithium) and Australia (lithium, cobalt).

IREL (India) Limited’s Role: Processing beach sand minerals and operating Rare Earth Extraction and Refining Units, focused on expanding production capacity.

Mission Objectives: Secure mineral supply chain, strengthen value chains, encourage recycling, and promote innovation.

India’s Climate Goals: NCMM supports India’s targets of reducing emissions intensity by 45% by 2030, achieving 50% non-fossil electric power capacity by 2030, and reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.