Lok Sabha Question No. 442 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Critical Mineral Mission
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Kripanath Mallah, Shri P P Chaudhary, Shri Khagen Murmu, Shri Balabhadra Majhi, Shri Balya Mama Suresh Gopinath Mhatre, Shri Parshottambhai Rupala, Shri Vijay Kumar Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 442

ANSWERED ON 27.11.2024

## CRITICAL MINERAL MISSION

442  SHRI BALYA MAMA SURESH GOPINATH MHATRE: SHRI P P CHAUDHARY: SHRI KRIPANATH MALLAH: SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY: SHRI PARSHOTTAMBHAI RUPALA: SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

SHRI BALABHADRA MAJHI:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has launched the Critical Minerals Mission and if so, the detailed framework and objectives thereof including the list of minerals identified as critical; (b)  the  specific  steps  taken  to  enhance  domestic  production  of  critical  minerals including the allocation of funds and the identification of potential mining sites, if any State-wise; (c)  whether any policy framework has been developed for recycling of critical minerals and urban mining and if so, the details thereof along with the targets set; (d)  the  details  of  steps  taken  for  overseas  acquisition  of  critical  mineral  assets including the countries identified and agreements signed, if any; and (e)  whether  any  monitoring  mechanism  has  been  established  to  oversee  the implementation of the Mission across domestic production, recycling and overseas
- acquisition and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) Union Minister for Finance, in the Union Budget 2024-25, announced the setting up of a Critical Mineral Mission for domestic production, recycling of critical minerals, and overseas acquisition of critical mineral assets on 23 rd  July, 2024. 24 Minerals have been listed as critical and strategic minerals in Part D of First Schedule of the MMDR Act, 1957. List is placed at Annexure-I.

(b) In order to boost the domestic production, the Mines and Minerals (Development and  Regulation)  Act,  1957,  has  been  amended  in  2023  to  empower  the  Central Government to auction blocks for 24 critical and strategic minerals. So far 22 blocks have been successfully auctioned. Additionally, a new mineral concession namely, Exploration  Licence  has  been  introduced  for  29  minerals  as  included  in  Seventh Schedule of the MMDR Act, 1957 which includes 22 critical and strategic minerals. This permits the licencee to undertake reconnaissance and prospecting operations for these minerals.

To enhance the exploration program for identifying potential mining sites in order to boost domestic production for the critical minerals, Geological Survey of India (GSI) had  taken  up  368  mineral  exploration  projects  on  various  critical  and  strategic minerals during the last three years (2021-22 to 2023-24). In the current year 202425, GSI has taken up 195 mineral exploration projects of critical and strategic minerals across the country.

Ministry has also focussed on funding various projects of mining exploration through National  Mineral  Exploration  Trust  (NMET).  So  far,  NMET  has  funded  total  443 projects out of which 139 projects are of critical minerals through various exploration agencies.  Further, in order to encourage private participation in exploration, Ministry of Mines has notified 25 private exploration agencies (NPEAs). These agencies are taking up exploration projects through NMET. Additionally, the Ministry has issued a scheme for partial reimbursement of exploration expenses for holders of Composite Licences and Exploration Licenses to encourage various agencies to come into mining exploration sector. State-wise Summary of successful auctioned Blocks for Critical& Strategic Mineral in Various Tranches is placed in Annexure-II.

(c) A draft framework to encourage the Indian industry to develop recycling capacity in the country for the separation and production of critical minerals from secondary sources through recycling is being designed for undertaking stakeholder consultations. Under this framework, the recycling capacity of dead lithium ion battery is expected to increase four-fold during the duration of the Critical Mineral Mission from the present annual capacity, which as per industry source is around 75,000 tonnes. In addition, the Government has eliminated the import duty on waste & scrap of six critical minerals, which will help promote recycling in these minerals.

(d)  In  order  to  acquire  critical  minerals  aboard,  the  Ministry  has  signed  MoUs  with resource  rich  countries  having  rich  critical  mineral  resources. Further,  Ministry  of Mines has set up Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), a joint venture, to identify and acquire overseas mineral assets. KABIL has signed an Exploration and Development Agreement  with  CAMYEN,  a  state-owned  enterprise  of  Catamarca  province  of Argentina, for exploration and mining of Five adjacent Lithium Block in Argentina.

(e)  Ministry  of  Mines  is  closely  monitoring  the  domestic  production,  recycling  and overseas acquisition of critical minerals.

## Annexure-I

## List of Critical and Strategic Minerals specified in Part D of First Schedule of the MMDR Act [24 minerals]

| 1. Beryl and other beryllium bearing minerals.                              |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2. Cadmium bearing minerals.                                                |
| 3. Cobalt bearing minerals.                                                 |
| 4. Gallium bearing minerals.                                                |
| 5. Glauconite.                                                              |
| 6. Graphite.                                                                |
| 7. Indium bearing minerals.                                                 |
| 8. Lithium bearing minerals.                                                |
| 9. Molybdenum bearing minerals.                                             |
| 10. Nickel bearing minerals.                                                |
| 11. Niobium bearing minerals.                                               |
| 12. Phosphate (without uranium).                                            |
| 13. Platinum group of elements bearing minerals.                            |
| 14. Potash.                                                                 |
| 15. Minerals of the "rare earths" group not containing Uranium and Thorium. |
| 16. Rhenium bearing minerals.                                               |
| 17. Selenium bearing minerals.                                              |
| 18. Tantalum bearing minerals.                                              |
| 19. Tellurium bearing minerals.                                             |
| 20. Tin bearing minerals.                                                   |
| 21. Titanium bearing minerals and ores (ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene).    |
| 22. Tungsten bearing minerals.                                              |
| 23. Vanadium bearing minerals.                                              |
| 24. Zirconium-bearing minerals and ores including zircon.                   |

Annexure-II State-wise  Summary  of  the  successful  auctioned  Blocks  for  the  Auction  of

Critical& Strategic Mineral in Various Tranches

| Sl. No.   | States            |   Total Successful auctioned blocks |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    |                                   1 |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh |                                   4 |
| 3         | Bihar             |                                   3 |
| 4         | Chhattisgarh      |                                   1 |
| 5         | Karnataka         |                                   2 |
| 6         | Madhya Pradesh    |                                   3 |
| 7         | Odisha            |                                   3 |
| 8         | Tamil Nadu        |                                   2 |
| 9         | Uttar Pradesh     |                                   3 |
|           | TOTAL             |                                  22 |

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