Centre identified 30 critical minerals

Context

Recently, the Centre has identified ‘30 critical minerals’, which are essential for the country’s economic development and national security. Key-highlights:

• The identification of these minerals was done on the basis of a report on critical minerals prepared by an expert team constituted by the Ministry of Mines.
• In November 2022, the Ministry of Mines had constituted a seven-member Committee to identify a list of minerals critical to our country and the panel decided to have a ‘three-stage assessment’ to arrive at a list of critical minerals.
• Using this process, a total of 30 minerals were found to be most critical for India, out of which two are critical as fertiliser minerals:
  • Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, PGE, Phosphorous, Potash, REE, Rhenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, Selenium and Cadmium.
  • Ten minerals on the list are 100 per cent import-dependent. These are lithium cobalt, nickel, vanadium, niobium, germanium, rhenium, beryllium, tantalum, and strontium.

• Adding to this proposed plan, Centre will periodically update the list of critical minerals for India and notify the critical mineral strategy from time to time and will execute a range of functions for the development of an effective value chain of critical minerals in the country.
• Need of such a move:
  • India’s international commitments towards reducing carbon emissions, which require the country to urgently relook at its mineral requirements for energy transition and net-zero commitments.
  • Critical Minerals forms part of multiple strategic value chains, including clean technologies initiatives such as zero-emission vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels; information and communication technologies, including semiconductors; and advanced manufacturing inputs and materials such as defence applications, permanent magnets, and ceramics.

What are Critical Minerals?

• Critical minerals are elements that are the building blocks of essential modern-day technologies, and are at risk of supply chain disruptions.
• These minerals are now used everywhere from making mobile phones, computers to batteries, electric vehicles and green technologies like solar panels and wind turbines.
• Based on their individual needs and strategic considerations, different countries create their own lists.

Significance:

• The identification of critical minerals will help the country to plan for the acquisition and preservation of such mineral assets taking into account the long term need of the country.
• Also it will make to reduce the import dependency as India is 100% import dependent for certain elements.

India’s exploration Update:

• The Geological Survey of India, an attached office of Ministry of Mines, has carried out a G3 stage mineral exploration (fairly advanced) in Salal-Haimna areas of Reasi district, Jammu & Kashmir, and estimated an inferred resource of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore.
• Lithium reserves were also discovered on Revant hill in Degana in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district by the GSI. It is believed that these reserves can meet 80% of the country’s demand.

Critical Minerals in major economies: The US has declared 50 minerals critical in light of their role in national security or economic development. The UK considers 18 minerals critical, the European Union has declared 34 minerals critical, and Canada and Japan 31 each. Australia has 26 critical minerals. India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership: India and Australia recently decided to strengthen their partnership in the field of projects and supply chains for critical minerals. Australia will commit 5.8 million dollars to the three-year India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership.