India holds 8.52 million tonnes of rare earth oxide resources; no rare earth imports in last 10 years: Govt

Time of India

5 days ago

New Delhi: India has identified a total of 8.52 million tonnes (MT) of in-situ Rare Earth Elements Oxide (REO) resources across multiple states, as the government pushes ahead with efforts to secure
supply chains for critical minerals
essential to electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defence applications.
According to data presented in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) has estimated approximately 7.23 MT of REO within 13.15 MT of monazite deposits found in coastal beach, teri/red sand, and inland alluvial zones across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Additionally, hard rock terrains in Gujarat and Rajasthan account for 1.29 MT of REO resources.
Separately, the
Geological Survey of India
(GSI) has reported augmentation of 482.6 MT of REE ore across 34 exploration projects using various cut-off grades.
India has recorded no imports of rare earth minerals over the last 10 years, while exports have totaled 18 tonnes during the same period, the government informed the House.
To meet rising demand and reduce dependence on external sources, the Union Cabinet on January 29, 2025, approved the launch of the
National Critical Mineral Mission
(NCMM) with an outlay of ₹16,300 crore. The mission is expected to attract investments of ₹18,000 crore by public sector undertakings and will be implemented over seven years until FY 2030-31. It aims to strengthen India's end-to-end critical minerals value chain, from exploration and mining to processing, recycling and reuse.
As part of the NCMM, ₹500 crore has been allocated for establishing mineral processing parks, ₹1,500 crore for incentivising mineral recycling from secondary sources, and ₹100 crore for pilot recovery projects. The mission will also support R&D institutions, startups, and MSMEs engaged in innovation across the critical minerals sector.
In FY 2024–25, GSI has taken up 195
mineral exploration projects
focused on critical and strategic minerals. For FY 2025–26, 227 such projects have been lined up. The National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) has funded 195 projects so far. Additionally, 33 private exploration agencies are undertaking NMET-funded work.
To expand access to critical minerals abroad, the
Ministry of Mines
established Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), a joint venture which has acquired 15,703 hectares for lithium mining in Argentina's Catamarca province. KABIL is also in regular discussions with Australia's Critical Minerals Office and has signed bilateral agreements with governments of Argentina, Zambia, Peru, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Côte d'Ivoire.
The Ministry is also actively participating in global mineral partnerships through platforms like the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), and the India-UK Technology and Security Initiative.
To further secure supply chains, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 was amended in August 2023. The amendments removed six minerals from the list of atomic minerals and created a separate list of 24 critical and strategic minerals. The Centre has since been empowered to auction blocks and exploration licenses for these.
A first tranche of offshore mineral auctions was launched in November 2024, covering 13 blocks including seven polymetallic nodule zones in the Andaman Sea. The first tranche of Exploration Licence (EL) auctions began in March 2025 for 13 blocks containing various critical minerals.
To boost domestic processing capabilities, the government has eliminated customs duties on 25 minerals and reduced duties on two others. In Union Budget 2025–26, exemptions were extended to cobalt powder, lithium-ion battery waste, and 12 more critical minerals.
The ministry of external affairs is engaged with foreign governments to address export restrictions on rare earth magnets and ensure uninterrupted supply chains for Indian industries.