Government forms panel to promote scientific mining of critical minerals

Tags: Science and Technology National News

A seven-member panelhas been set up by the government under the leadership of NITI Aayog member Vijay Kumar Saraswat to promote scientific mining of critical minerals.

An Overview of the News

• The panel's primary goal is to propose legislative measures for the cost-effective and scientific extraction of critical minerals such as copper, gold, and diamond.

• These minerals are often found in deeply embedded deposits, requiring underground mining for extraction.

• Strategies will be devised by the panel to raise awareness among states about the implications of mining reforms.

• In 2023, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) discovered approximately 5.9 million tonnes of lithium deposits in the Salal-Haimana area of Jammu & Kashmir, crucial for electric vehicle manufacturing.

About Critical Minerals

• Critical minerals are vital for both economic development and national security.

• India's government has identified a list of 30 critical minerals.

• These minerals include Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, platinum group elements (PGE), Phosphorous, Potash, Rare Earth Elements (REE), Rhenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, Selenium, and Cadmium.