The government has released a list of 30 critical minerals for India. These minerals are antimony, beryllium, bismuth, cobalt, copper, gallium, germanium, graphite, hafnium, indium, lithium, molybdenum, niobium, nickel, PGE, phosphorus, potash, REE, rhenium, silicon, strontium, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, selenium, and cadmium.
The Ministry of Mines has increased focus on exploration for these minerals in the country through Geological Survey of India (GSI) and other agencies. Details of exploration projects undertaken by GSI over the past 3 years on critical minerals in India are as follows:
|
Field season |
2020-21 |
2021-22 |
2022-23 |
2023-24 |
|
Total Critical Ore Projects |
59 |
118 |
123 |
122 |
A joint venture named Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) was formed with the equity contribution of three core public sector enterprises namely National Aluminum Company Ltd, Hindustan Copper Ltd and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd with the aim of identifying and acquiring overseas mineral resources of critical and strategic nature such as lithium, cobalt and others so as to ensure supply security. KABIL has commitments with countries like Argentina, Australia, etc. to acquire critical and strategic mineral resources.
This information was given by Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi in a written reply to Rajya Sabha today.
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FROM/RKP
