Boost Mineral Exploration, Tech to Win Critical Minerals Race: Experts

Experts in Kolkata urge India to boost its global standing in critical minerals by accelerating exploration, adopting advanced tech for beneficiation, and ensuring 100% post-mining resource utilisation to overcome import dependency.

India Urged to Bolster Critical Minerals Strategy

India must accelerate mineral exploration, adopt advanced beneficiation technologies and ensure full utilisation of extracted resources if it aims to strengthen its position in the global critical minerals race, industry experts said at the event in Kolkata.

Balancing Economy with Sustainability

Speaking to ANI, Ashim Kumar Mukherjee, Senior Technical Advisor, Universal MEP Projects & Engineering Services Ltd, (a Tata Enterprise) said the mining sector faces the challenge of balancing economic necessity with environmental sustainability. Adding "mining is indispensable," he stressed, "it is damaging the environment, but at the same time, mining is also required."

"Balancing these two, newer technologies are coming. It is for this reason that the competition is always there."

Prioritise Exploration and Full Utilisation

Mukherjee noted that while India produces around 95 minerals, the country remains dependent on imports for several critical minerals due to insufficient exploration and processing capabilities. "Unfortunately, in some minerals, India is not self-sufficient. Discovery of mineral....extensive exploration is required. And we are lacking in exploration," he added.

He stressed that exploration should be India's top priority, adding that the country must also focus on beneficiation and post-mining utilisation. "If we are producing one tonne of ore, that one tonne should be fully utilised. Post-mining utilisation of minerals has to be close to 100 per cent," he said.

"Post mining utilisation of the mineral has to be 100 per cent that government has to ensure that for the companies who doing it," he said.

Harnessing Technology and Talent

Meanwhile, Professor Satish Sinha, Visiting Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Indian School of Mines, said India possesses the scientific talent and technological capability to emerge as a major force in critical minerals extraction. "Rare earths are not rare, it is there only. You need to know the heart of getting rare from there," he said.

He further added, "Given the liberty by the government, we can very well come up in the name of beneficiation using technology, high-end technology, quantum technology, AI technology and think of deriving materials not in percentage form, but in parts per million form or parts per billion form."

Sinha also called for greater investment in exploration and urged a broader approach to resource utilisation, noting that materials traditionally classified as mining overburden could potentially contain valuable critical minerals. "India is not doing enough. India must do much more to explore and also to see. They should develop the eye for detail in seeing minerals," he added.

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