Recycling of critical minerals will help cut imports: Mines secretary

NEW DELHI: Recycling of critical minerals will increase their domestic availability and bring down India's dependence on imports, mines secretary V L Kantha Rao said on Wednesday. Minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components in many of today's rapidly growing clean energy technologies -- from wind turbines and electricity networks to electric vehicles. Demand for these minerals is growing quickly with clean energy transitions gathering pace, Rao said addressing a workshop on critical mineral recycling here.

He stressed on the importance of critical mineral recycling for India's energy transition and creating strategic advantage in cleaner energy, generating employment and providing supply chain security.

India's focus on critical minerals aligns with its energy ambitions, industry needs and climate goals, he added.


The workshop organised by the mines ministry in collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Discussions on global emerging recycling technologies, critical minerals recycling business models and need for policy alignment to support recycling industry were carried out by experts from industry, research bodies and international organisations during the workshop.

A presentation was also made by Tae-Yoon Kim, Head of Energy Minerals Analysis, IEA, on its forthcoming report on critical mineral recycling.