India mapping rare earth resources to cut dependence on China: Reddy
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
The exploration and augmentation of rare earth group elements in many potential geological areas in the country is being carried out by a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy , the Parliament was informed on Monday.China's restrictions on the export of rare earth elements and related magnets are affecting the domestic auto and white goods sectors.Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, coal and mines minister G Kishan Reddy said, "Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy ( DAE ), is carrying out exploration and augmentation of rare earth group elements along coastal/ inland/ riverine placer sands, as well as in hard rock terrains in several potential geological domains in the country."The minister further said that as on date, AMD has estimated approximately 7.23 million tonnes (MT) of in-situ Rare Earth Elements Oxide (REO) contained in 13.15 MT of monazite in coastal beach, teri/red sand and inland alluvium in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Mahrashtra.He further said that 1.29 MT of in-situ REO resources have been identified in hard rocks in Gujarat and Rajasthan, adding that, as per DAE, mining is feasible for these resources.Besides, GSI has augmented 482.6 MT resources of REE ore at various cut-off grades in 34 exploration projects.The National Critical Minerals Mission , launched in 2025 by the government, aims to establish a self-reliant domestic supply chain for critical minerals, including rare earths, he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
Ministry of Coal organises hands-on-training workshop on Exploration Module of Single Window Clearance System
In a significant move to accelerate digital transformation in the coal sector, the Ministry of Coal organised a hands-on training workshop and interactive session on the Exploration Module of the Single Window Clearance System (SWCS) on July 25, as per a release. The training workshop was held at the Tagore Chamber, SCOPE Complex, New Delhi, with the aim of equipping stakeholders with a deeper understanding of the module's functionalities and promoting its adoption for the efficient handling of exploration-related submissions and approvals. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary and Nominated Authority (AS & NA), chaired the session and emphasised the transformative potential of digital platforms in expediting and simplifying approval processes within the coal sector. She urged all stakeholders to proactively engage with the SWCS portal, highlighting that digital systems are essential for achieving transparency, efficiency, and accountability. The workshop also featured the participation of senior officials from the Ministry of Coal, who offered technical briefings and addressed queries and concerns of stakeholders regarding the module's operational framework. In collaboration with CMPDIL , the Ministry facilitated a detailed demonstration of the Exploration Module, providing participants with a practical understanding of its end-to-end digital workflow. The session outlined the complete process for submission, evaluation, and approval of critical exploration documents, including Geological Report (GR) schemes, progress updates, compliance filings, and final GRs. This hands-on walkthrough provided stakeholders with greater clarity on the module's functionalities and underscored its role in streamlining and digitising exploration approvals. The Exploration Module that was launched by the Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, on July 4, marks a significant milestone in the Ministry's digital governance journey by replacing the manual process with a fully digital system. It enables real-time tracking, structured timelines, and automated communication, thereby minimising delays and fostering a transparent and accountable approval mechanism. It represents a key step toward a more efficient and modern coal administration framework. The workshop saw active and enthusiastic participation from a broad range of stakeholders, including coal block allottees , accredited exploration agencies, and senior technical personnel. Participants commended the Exploration Module for its user-friendly interface, streamlined processes, and capacity to simplify clearances. The interactive format encouraged open dialogue, allowing stakeholders to raise implementation-specific concerns and receive guidance directly from Ministry officials and CMPDIL experts, fostering a collaborative and solution-oriented environment. The Exploration Module forms an integral part of the wider Single Window Clearance System (SWCS), which has been operational since January 11, 2021. The SWCS serves as a unified digital gateway for obtaining various statutory clearances, including Mining Plans, Mine Opening Permissions, and Environmental and Forest Clearances. It is already integrated with the National Single Window System (NSWS) and is being aligned with PARIVESH 2.0 to enable seamless inter-ministerial coordination and digital synergy. The Ministry of Coal reaffirms its steadfast commitment to fostering a transparent, efficient, and technology-driven governance ecosystem. By promoting the widespread adoption of digital platforms, such as the SWCS and its Exploration Module, the Ministry is paving the way for faster clearances, improved accountability, and streamlined operations across the coal sector. Stakeholders are encouraged to fully embrace these digital systems, in alignment with the national vision of Viksit Bharat and Digital India, to drive sustainable growth and operational excellence in the years ahead.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Economic Times
Intel slumps as potential foundry exit deepens investor gloom
Intel shares sank 8% on Friday after the company warned of exiting chip manufacturing if it fails to secure a major customer, a potentially drastic move by the new CEO to cut spending and revive the struggling American icon. Lip-Bu Tan said on Thursday he would further shrink Intel's workforce, halt work on two plants in Europe and slow another in Ohio, binning his ousted predecessor's strategy that relied on building costly facilities to restore its manufacturing edge. The plan for such extreme measures follows a surprise second-quarter adjusted loss and a forecast for a bigger-than-expected loss in the third quarter. The weakening financials pointed to more trouble for Intel after years of mismanagement eroded its PC and datacenter market share and left it with almost no presence in the AI market. The disclosures "revive long-unanswered questions on the chances of success for its foundry business the path forward is if Intel does not develop leading edge manufacturing capability," TD Cowen analyst Joshua Buchalter said. "It's hard to understate the significance of this potential outcome in the context of the history of the semiconductor industry." As part of its new strategy, Intel may reserve the advanced 18A manufacturing process for its products and proceed with its next-generation 14A only if it lands a major external customer commits, Tan told analysts on the post-earnings call. The move could put $100 billion in assets at risk and deepen its dependence on rival TSMC, adding strain to margins already running at about half their historical highs. "Intel Foundry is a big story and currently people are questioning how successful 18A is. A failure in 18A will be a broken story," said Hendi Susanto, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds. Intel was set to lose nearly $8 billion in market value, if current losses hold. Its current valuation of around $100 billion is less than half of Advanced Micro Devices' more than $260 billion. The stock has lagged far behind rivals this year, rising 12.8% compared with AI darling Nvidia's 30% gain and AMD's 34%. Intel trades at a 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio of 42.55 versus 33.90 for Nvidia and 32.12 for AMD. Since taking the helm in March, Tan has divested businesses, laid off employees and redirected resources as part of his strategic reset to revive the embattled chipmaker. "There are no more blank checks," he wrote in a memo to employees on Thursday.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Intel's foundry future depends on securing a customer for next-gen chipmaking tech
By Max A. Cherney and Stephen Nellis SAN FRANCISCO: Intel warned investors on Thursday that it may have to get out of the chip manufacturing business if it does not land external customers to make chips in its factories. New CEO Lip-Bu Tan said on Thursday the company's engineers were busy working with customers to jump-start its next-generation contract manufacturing process, or foundry, as the company announced big layoffs alongside a wider-than-expected third-quarter loss outlook. Those customers for the company's so-called 14A manufacturing process are crucial to the success of the technology - so much so that if it fails to secure a big one, it could shut down its cutting-edge manufacturing business altogether, according to Intel's quarterly filing on Thursday. The possibility that Intel could drop out of the cutting-edge manufacturing business would be a historic shift for a company that has described itself as a steward of Moore's Law - an observation by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore about the fast rate of development of the chip industry that held true for decades. Intel is the only U.S. chipmaker capable of making advanced computing chips. Intel has struggled for years due to management missteps, missing out on the AI race and losing market share to its longtime rival AMD . Former CEO Patrick Gelsinger poured money into Intel's foundry business, aiming to compete with chip manufacturing giant TSMC . Tan, who has already taken steps to right the ship, said on a post-earnings call on Thursday that he was personally reviewing all chip designs and investments. "We're developing Intel 14A ... from the ground up in close partnership with large external customers," Tan said in a memo released with the results. "Going forward, our investment in Intel 14A will be based on confirmed customer commitments. "We will build what our customers need, when they need it, and earn their trust through consistent execution." Intel said that without a significant customer, it would consider cancelling or pausing development of 14A and subsequent technologies. Should the company take the step, it planned to continue to manufacture chips with its 18A technology and a variant through 2030, according to the filing. In a post-earnings conference call, Tan said on Thursday that he is focused on working with customers to ensure 14A is a success and that tight collaboration with external customers is something that was absent from the company's 18A, which is set to go into high-volume production later this year. Tan said bringing those prospective customers in and gaining their feedback during 14A's development has already made it more promising than 18A. "That gave me a lot more confidence that this time, we have customers (that) are engaging early enough in the inception" of 14A, Tan said. "We learn from our mistakes, and we can learn quicker and then get a better result." The consequences of a decision to halt internal manufacturing would be significant for Intel, the filing said. It would mean that over time, Intel would become dependent on Taiwan's TSMC for contract manufacturing, or foundry, services. Doing so would also put it at a competitive disadvantage to competitors such as AMD, which has longer relationships and experience working with TSMC. Intel had roughly $100 billion of chipmaking equipment as of June 28. If the company halted its 14A manufacturing line, the company expects "significant material impairments" related to the company's foundry assets, the company's filing said.
