NMDC looks to mine lithium, nickel, cobalt in foreign lands

State-owned NMDC is looking to explore for minerals like lithium and cobalt, which are used in electric vehicles, in foreign lands, its chairman and managing director Sumit Deb said last week. The company is also planning offshore mining of copper, nickel and gold. NMDC Ltd, through Legacy Iron Ore Ltd in Australia, is looking to mine lithium, nickel, and cobalt which are used in EVs, Deb said at a FICCI event. Based in Perth, Legacy Iron Ore Ltd focuses on gold, iron ore and base metals. NMDC has 90.02 per cent equity in the company. The company also has plans to explore other minerals like gold and copper in countries like Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. NMDC will also explore lithium reserves in India as it has got exploration rights in Karnataka, Deb said. On the upward iron ore price revision by NMDC, Deb said it was a marginal hike by the miner and the demand for the mineral would start picking up from the second quarter onwards. NMDC, which is the largest iron ore producer and seller in India, on Thursday hiked prices of lump ore by Rs 200 a tonne and fines by Rs 100 per tonne with immediate effect. The company has fixed the prices of lump ore at Rs 4,100 per tonne and that of fines at Rs 2,910 a tonne. See also: Germany’s Vitesco sets up Talegaon plant automotive solutions Mining projects financing to boost as Great Barrier Reef recovers