The National Critical and Strategic Minerals Committee, constituted by NITI Aayog, has urged coordinated action between public and private mining companies to boost India’s self-reliance in critical minerals. The panel emphasised the need to accelerate exploration, expand research and development (R&D), and forge strategic partnerships to unlock the country’s untapped mineral reserves. With global demand rising rapidly, the committee stressed that India must act decisively to secure long-term supply chains.
Addressing Demand-Supply Gaps and Policy Support
During its deliberations, the committee reviewed India’s current demand-supply scenario, exploration opportunities across various states, and the technological and policy interventions required to strengthen domestic production.
Members highlighted the strategic importance of lithium, rare earth elements (REEs), cobalt, and nickel — minerals that are essential for renewable energy systems, electric vehicles (EVs), electronics, defence applications, and advanced manufacturing.
Although India possesses reserves of several of these minerals, limited exploration and mining activities have resulted in continued import dependence. Therefore, the panel called for a coordinated national effort involving both government agencies and private mining firms to close supply gaps and reduce vulnerabilities.
Rising Demand Fuels Urgency
Importantly, the committee warned that India’s clean energy transition and manufacturing ambitions will drive a surge in demand for critical minerals in the coming years. As a result, policymakers and industry leaders must fast-track exploration projects, adopt advanced extraction technologies, and create investor-friendly regulatory frameworks to enhance domestic production capacity.
Industry Initiatives Gain Momentum
Industry representatives also shared ongoing initiatives aimed at recovering valuable minerals from unconventional sources. Buddhaprakash Jyoti, Chairman and Managing Director of Singareni Collieries Company Limited, outlined efforts to extract rare earth elements from overburden and clays at opencast coal mines. Additionally, he noted that valuable minerals are being recovered from fly ash and bottom ash generated at the Singareni Thermal Power Plant. These initiatives demonstrate how mining and power companies can integrate resource recovery into existing operations.
Time-Bound Action Plan Ahead
R Saravanabhavan, Deputy Advisor (Minerals) at NITI Aayog and Member Secretary of the committee, confirmed that the panel will follow a time-bound roadmap to finalise and submit its recommendations. As reported by knnindia.co.in, overall, the committee’s deliberations underscore the growing importance of public-private collaboration in securing critical minerals — a cornerstone for India’s energy security, industrial growth, and technological advancement.
By – https://chemindigest.com/public-private-collaboration-key-to-critical-minerals-security/