India's TEXMiN Foundation and Russia's GIREDMET signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on rare earth and critical mineral technologies, with the agreement concluded at an industry institute conclave at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. The partnership brings together the Technology Translation Research Park under the Department of Science and Technology and a state research and design institute of the Russian rare metal industry under Rosatom. The signing took place in the presence of senior representatives from Indian research bodies and GIREDMET leadership.

Under the MoU the institutions will pursue joint research and development across the mining value chain, covering exploration, beneficiation, extraction, separation and refining, as well as advanced materials development. A principal focus is the development of high coercivity permanent magnet blocks based on neodymium iron boron supported by a complete rare earth metallurgical cycle. The collaboration will also target high purity metals and alloys, refractory metal powders and materials for electronics and optics.

A key element is pilot-scale validation and technology translation under the Technology Translation Research Park framework, enabling industry-facing demonstrations and higher technology readiness levels. The partners will explore hydrometallurgical recycling for lithium ion batteries to recover lithium, nickel and cobalt and will develop recovery solutions for legacy mine dumps, tailings and low-grade or complex ores. Digital twin-enabled smart processing plants integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning and sensor systems are planned to support optimisation and process control.

The MoU provides for expert exchanges, joint doctoral supervision, specialised training programmes and advisory support to governments, public sector undertakings and industry stakeholders to accelerate deployment of sustainable, industry-ready solutions aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Representatives from TEXMiN and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad plan to attend an international congress on rare metals and related technologies in Moscow in May where global scientific and technological challenges will be discussed. The collaboration is intended to strengthen domestic capabilities in rare metals and advanced materials and to foster translational outcomes for high tech industries.