India is stepping up efforts to extract more rare earth elements (REEs) from mining waste, especially from coal mine overburden (byproducts and waste), government sources told CNBC TV18. The expanded exploration is aimed at making better use of resources in open-cast mines. These enhanced exploration, the report added, will cover not just overburden from existing mineral-rich areas but also include coal mines and petroleum sector.
The move is in line with the larger plan to achieve self-reliance in critical minerals under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM).
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N Balram, Chairman and Managing Director of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), told CNBC-TV18 that government-backed studies by the Non-ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC) have found 1 kg of Scandium and Strontium in every 15 tons of clay at the Sathupalli and Ramagundam open-cast mines. He added that the supply of these elements from both mines is expected to start in August.
While Scandium is used in aircraft components, fuel cells and high-performance sports goods, Strontium has applications in alloys, ferrite ceramic magnets, medicines, vacuum systems, and cathode-ray tubes.
Meanwhile, Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal had earlier described China’s restrictions on REE exports as a wake-up call for the world. Earlier last week, government sources had told CNBC-TV18 that India is looking to hedge supply chain risks by exploring alternative sourcing destinations like Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.
China currently accounts for about 60 per cent of global rare earth magnet production and handles around 90 per cent of the processing. These rare earth elements and processed minerals are widely used in sectors like heavy industry, robotics, batteries, and defense equipment.
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