Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, inaugurated the Critical Mineral Seminar and officially launched the NCMM Outreach Forum under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in New Delhi. The event, held during a national seminar on critical mineral processing, highlighted the essential role of critical minerals in India’s clean energy transition, defence, digital economy, and advanced manufacturing.

In his keynote address, the Minister stressed the need for robust collaboration between government bodies, industry, academia, and startups to establish a resilient and self-reliant critical minerals ecosystem. The newly launched Outreach Forum is set to be a vital platform for innovation, investment attraction, and sustainable development, aligning with India’s ambition to become a global hub for critical mineral processing and technology.

The Ministry of Mines shared progress on NCMM activities, including recent auctions and updates under the Centre of Excellence scheme. The conference drew around 200 delegates from private and public enterprises, state governments, academic institutions, R&D centres, and international financial agencies such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

On this occasion, Hindustan Copper Limited, a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Mines, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with RITES Limited of the Ministry of Railways. The MoU aims to create a rapid, reliable, and sustainable supply chain for metals and critical minerals through joint exploration, extraction, refining, and production efforts in India and abroad. The two entities will leverage their respective technical and financial capabilities to meet the strategic objectives outlined in the agreement.

The seminar also featured technical sessions and policy discussions with participation from senior policymakers, industry leaders, scientists, and state government officials. These sessions provided a platform for showcasing indigenous innovations, especially in processing low-grade and complex ores, as well as the private sector’s progress in sustainable technology development.

Key themes included advancements in mineral processing technology, government efforts to improve infrastructure and approvals, refining of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, and graphite, and financial models to reduce risk in the sector. The importance of recycling and extended producer responsibility in fostering a circular economy was also highlighted.

The seminar concluded with strengthened engagement between companies and key stakeholders, reinforcing efforts to build a robust critical mineral value chain within and for India.