Lok Sabha Question No. 471 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-03
Subject: Key Objective of NCMM
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Mukeshkumar Chandrakaant Dalal, Dr. Rajesh Mishra, Shri Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathva, Shri Chandan Chauhan, Shri Manoj Tiwari, Dr. Vinod Kumar Bind, Shri Shivmangal Singh Tomar, Shri Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar, Shri Bibhu Prasad Tarai, Shri Jagdambika Pal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 471

ANSWERED ON 03.08.2025

## KEY OBJECTIVE OF NCMM

471. SHRI MUKESH KUMAR CHANDRAKAANT DALAL: DR. RAJESH MISHRA: SHRI JASHUBHAI BHILUBHAI RATHVA: SHRI CHANDAN CHAUHAN: SHRI MANOJ TIWARI: DR. VINOD KUMAR BIND: SHRI SHIVMANGAL SINGH TOMAR: SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY: SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR: SHRI BIBHU PRASAD TARAI: SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

(a)  the  key  objectives  and  components  of  the  National  Critical  Minerals  Mission (NCMM); (b)  the  role  of  the  Centers  of  Excellence  and  industry-academia  partnerships  in advancing research and development in the processing of critical minerals; (c) the initiatives taken to encourage participation of private sector and investment in the exploration and refining of critical minerals; (d)  the  details  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  strengthen  domestic capacity, reduce import dependence and ensure regional coherence in line with clean energy and national strategic goals; (e) the details of the efforts made in this regard in Sidhi Lok Sabha Constituency; and (f) the details of critical mining exploration taken by the Government in Rajasthan in recent past?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) The key objectives of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) are:

- i)  To secure India's critical mineral supply chain by ensuring mineral availability from domestic and foreign sources.

ii) Strengthening  the  critical  mineral  value  chains  by  enhancing  technological, regulatory, and financial ecosystems to foster innovation, skill development, and global competitiveness in mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recycling.

The components of the NCMM are:

- i. Increasing Domestic Critical Minerals Production
- ii. Acquisition of Critical Mineral Assets Abroad
- iii. Recycling of Critical Minerals
- iv. Trade and Markets
- v. Scientific Research & Technological Advancement for Critical Minerals
- vi. Human Resource Development
- vii. Developing Effective Funding, Financing and Fiscal Incentives

(b)         Ministry  of  Mines  has  recognised  nine  premier  institutes  as  Centres  of Excellence (CoEs) under the NCMM to carry out Research & Development (R&D) and strengthen domestic capabilities in critical mineral processing. Each CoE operates as a  consortium,  on  a  Hub  &  Spoke  model,  to  leverage  the  core  competence  of constituent industry and academic spokes.

CoE plays a key role in advancing R&D in critical mineral processing by:

-  undertaking focused research to raise Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) up-to 7/8 in critical raw materials;
-  developing beneficiation, separation, extraction and recycling technologies for a wide range of primary, secondary and tertiary feedstocks;
-  designing and fabricating innovative process equipment, specialty chemicals and reductants essential for mineral processing; and
-  applying data analytics for optimisation of beneficiation  and extraction processes.

(c) Ministry of Mines has taken several initiatives to boost private-sector participation and investment, as under:

i) Exploration Licenses (E.L.) regime has been introduced for deep-seated and critical minerals, under which, a share of auction premium will be payable to the EL holder, who explored it.

ii)   38  Private  Exploration  Agencies  have  been  notified  for  taking  up  exploration projects  with  funding  from  National  Mineral  Exploration  and  Development  Trust (NMEDT).

iii) The Ministry provides funding for Research and Development (R&D) projects to various Institutions/Laboratories/Start-ups/ MSMEs etc.

iv) To encourage, and incentivize private-sector participation in mineral exploration, scheme for partial reimbursement of exploration expenses has been introduced for holders of Composite Licences (CL) (reimbursement of up to 50%, subject to a ceiling of ₹8 crore) and holders of Exploration Licence (EL) (up to 50% of expenses, with a maximum limit of ₹20 crore).

(d)  To  strengthen  the  critical  mineral  sector,  the  Ministry  has  undertaken  several measures, which inter alia include:

-  Geological Survey of India (GSI) intensified exploration of critical and strategic minerals. GSI carried out 195 critical mineral exploration projects in 2024-25 and  230  projects  in  2025-26  across  the  country. Additionally,  NMEDT  has sanctioned 62 projects for exploration of critical minerals during 2024-25 and 36 during 2025-26.
-  The  Mines  and  Mineral  Development  Act  (MMDR),  1957  Act  amended  to expand the scope of NMEDT for supporting critical  mineral  exploration  and mining overseas.
-  34 blocks of critical minerals successfully auctioned by Ministry of Mines.
-  The Ministry has successfully auctioned 7 blocks of Exploration License, out of which, three are of critical minerals.
-  The  Union  Cabinet  approved  a  ₹1,500  crore  Incentive  Scheme  to  develop recycling capacity for the separation and production of critical minerals from secondary sources.  The Scheme Guidelines were issued by the Ministry on 02.10.2025 and scheme rolled out.
-  Guidelines  for  funding  Pilot  Projects  for  Recovery  of  Critical  Minerals  from overburden/tailings/fly ash/ Red mud etc. issued on 14 Nov 2025.
-  Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) has acquired five lithium brine blocks, in the Catamarca province of Argentina for exploration and development.

(e) In  Sidhi  Lok  Sabha  Constituency  of  Madhya  Pradesh,  GSI  carried  out  four exploration projects for REE and graphite from 2022-23 to 2024-25 and during 202526, GSI has taken up two exploration projects for REE and copper-graphite.

(f) In the last three years, GSI took up 220 mineral exploration projects on various mineral commodities in Rajasthan, including 88 exploration projects on critical and strategic minerals. During 2025-26, GSI has taken up 91 mineral exploration projects in Rajasthan for various mineral commodities, including 40 for critical and strategic minerals.

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