Minerals

For Ukraine, leveraging its mineral wealth could yield economic gains - but only with strategic agreements. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks security guarantees in any potential deal

Minister Reddy announced the deployment of 20 nodal officers in international locations that have the potential for critical minerals

Various reports have suggested that Ukraine has mineral deposits worth upwards of $10 trillion, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's government has been keen to promote crucial materials

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he directed his ministers not to sign off on a proposed agreement to give the United States access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals because the document was too focused on US interests. The proposal, which was at the centre of Zelenskyy's talks with US Vice President JD Vance on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday, did not offer any specific security guarantees in return, according to one current and one former senior official familiar with the talks. Zelenskyy's decision to reject a deal, at least for now, was described as short-sighted by a senior White House official. I didn't let the ministers sign a relevant agreement because in my view it is not ready to protect us, our interest, Zelenskyy told The Associated Press on Saturday in Munich. The proposal focused on how the US could use Kyiv's rare earth minerals as compensation for support already given to Ukraine by the Biden administration and as payment for fut

Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said Ukraine was willing, adding that he wants equalisation from Ukraine for Washington's close to $300 billion in support

Consulting firm Deloitte India has welcomed the government's approval to Rs 16,300-crore National Critical Mineral Mission stating that it is well-timed and signals a commitment to strengthen energy security in the face of global uncertainties. "The Cabinet's approval of the National Critical Mineral Mission, accompanied by a significant financial outlay, is a major step forward for India's energy security. Given the country's vulnerability to geopolitical shifts surrounding critical minerals, this mission addresses a key area of concern. It is a well-timed and highly welcome move by the government," Rakesh Surana, Partner, Deloitte India, said in a statement. What stands out most about this initiative is its holistic approach that covers the entire value chain. The focus is not just on the exploration of critical minerals, but also on crucial elements such as processing and recovery from end-of-life products, he said. "This multi-faceted approach will likely drive significant ...

Coal India Ltd (CIL) has set its sights on Argentina as a destination in its strategic diversification into critical minerals, with a focus on lithium brine assets, an official said on Sunday. Recognising the economic significance and strategic value of minerals like lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and others, the Maharatna company has initiated steps to explore opportunities in key resource-rich nations such as Argentina, Australia and Chile. "The state-owned mining behemoth has invited expressions of interest (EoI) from experienced consultants to conduct technical due diligence on lithium brine assets in Argentina," a senior Coal India official told PTI. The selected consultant will undertake due diligence, an initial review process to assess the financial, strategic, and geological viability of the identified assets, he said. Lithium brine is a concentrated salt solution that contains dissolved lithium and other minerals. Lithium is in great demand for its use in ...

In recent years, the number of fatalities has come down as the government has cracked down on illegal rat hole mining

The government has cancelled the auction of 11 critical mineral blocks in the fourth round due to poor response. While no bids were received for four blocks, the remaining seven mines got less than three technically qualified bidders, according to the annulment notice. The four blocks which include tungsten and glauconite, are located in the states of Chhattisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh. "Since there were nil bids received....the auction process for four mineral blocks stands annulled," the notice said. Critical minerals, such as cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel and rare earths, play crucial roles in the production of clean energy technologies, ranging from wind turbines to electric vehicles. "Since there were less than three technically qualified bidders...the auction process of these seven mineral blocks stands annulled," the notice said. The government had earlier cancelled the auction of three critical mineral blocks in the third round, 14 blocks in the second round, and 14 in

India is set to kick off a national mission for the critical and strategic minerals sector as the country looks to propel its journey towards green energy transition and boost electric vehicle manufacturing capacity. While much of 2024 was spent in doing ground work, the next is poised to be a landmark year for India's mineral and mining sector. As the world races to secure vital minerals for renewable energy and emerging technologies, India gears up to take the centre stage with the launch of its much-touted Critical Mineral Mission in 2025. This mission, a bold and collaborative effort, will unite ministries, industries, R&D institutions, and global think tanks in a shared vision to secure a sustainable supply of the minerals that power tomorrow's world. With a series of high-profile roadshows abroad along with plans to acquire critical mineral assets in Australia, India is set to woo international investors and make its mark on the global mining map. Mines Secretary V L Kantha .

The latest awards follow a second-round auction held after the initial round failed to attract sufficient interest, as the government mandates at least three technically qualified bids per block

Revised conversion factor would apply to new mining leases granted following the notification

India remains highly dependent on imports for minerals critical to accelerating its energy transition, with a full reliance on shipping in lithium, cobalt and nickel, according to a report released Monday. The report, published by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), said that India's demand for critical minerals is expected to more than double by 2030, while domestic mining operations may take over a decade to start producing. It stresses that India needs a carefully crafted import strategy to mitigate potential trade risks while balancing international relationships to secure these essential minerals. IEEFA's report examines five critical minerals (and their compounds) cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium and nickel from the perspectives of import dependency, trade dynamics, domestic availability, and global price fluctuations. The findings show that India remains largely import-dependent for these minerals and their compounds, with 100 per cent impor

India and the US are negotiating a pact to enhance collaboration in essential critical minerals, and the issue will figure during the visit of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to Washington this week. At the invitation of the US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Goyal will undertake a visit from September 30-October 3. The commerce ministry said, in a statement on Sunday, that Goyal and Raimondo will also discuss steps to expand and diversify critical minerals supply chains between India and the US. "The two sides are negotiating a MoU which intends to enhance bilateral collaboration to increase and diversify essential critical mineral supply chains and leverage their complementary strengths," it said. Critical minerals, such as cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel and rare earths, play a crucial role in the production of clean energy technologies, from wind turbines to electric cars. They are particularly in demand for the production of batteries for electric cars. Goyal

The Minerals Security Finance Network seeks to promote collaboration between the Indo-Pacific region and Europe, ensuring a secure, sustainable, and diversified supply of critical minerals

Partnerships between the US and China at universities over the past decade have allowed hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to aid Beijing in developing critical technology that could be used for military purposes, congressional Republicans asserted in a new report. The report said US tax dollars have contributed to China's technological advancement and military modernization when American researchers worked with their Chinese peers in areas such as hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence, nuclear technology and semiconductor technology. The report, released Monday by Republicans on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and the House Education and Workforce Committee, raised concerns over the national security risks of collaborations between researchers from the two countries that were once celebrated. It urged stronger safeguards and more robust enforcement. The committees conducted a yearlong investigation as lawmakers and their policy advise

India attends IPEF Supply Chain Council, Crisis Response Network in Washington

India's zinc consumption is estimated to increase to over 2 million tonnes in the next 10 years from the current 1.1 million tonnes, International Zinc Association (IZA) said on Thursday. Speaking on the sidelines of Zinc College, 2024 event here, Andrew Green, Executive Director of IZA, said: "The zinc consumption and demand in India is 1.1 million tonnes (MT), which is higher than the current production in India. ...this is likely to go over 2 MT in the next 10 years. That's the forecast." Zinc College is organised every two years by the International Zinc Association in partnership with a member company. Hindustan Zinc Ltd is the partner of Zinc College 2024. He further said that the global zinc market is around 13.5 million tonnes per annum in terms of primary production. And one of the big differences is that if one looks at the per capita use of zinc, on the global average it's about four to five times higher than what's happening in India. So there are a number of areas wher

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will set up a bench to hear subsequent pleas of mineral-rich states like Jharkhand seeking to recover royalty and tax dues on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands worth thousands of crore of rupees from the Centre and mining firms. On July 25, a nine-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, in a majority 8:1 verdict, had ruled that the legislative power to tax mineral rights vests in states and not Parliament. In a subsequent order on August 14, the top court clarified that the judgement will not have prospective effect and permitted mineral-rich states recover from the Centre and mining firms the royalty and tax dues on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands worth thousands of crore of rupees since April 1, 2005 over a period of 12 years. On Wednesday, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for Jharkhand, urged the bench comprising the CJI and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra to allocate the pleas, relating to recover

People across all age groups in India, both men and women, are consuming inadequate amounts of micronutrients critical for health, including iron, calcium and folate, as estimated in a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal. The study is the first to provide estimates of insufficient consumption of 15 micronutrients across 185 countries, taken through diets without the use of supplements, according to an international team, including researchers from Harvard University, US. The findings suggested that around the world, almost 70 per cent, or over five billion, people do not consume enough iodine, vitamin E, and calcium. The researchers also found that within a country and an age group, more women were consuming inadequate amounts of iodine, vitamin B12 and iron, compared to men, whereas more men were consuming inadequate amounts of magnesium, vitamin B6, zinc and vitamin C, compared to women. In India, while more women consumed insufficient amounts of iodine, compared