Critical Mineral

Percentage dependency

Major Import Sources (2020)

Lithium

100%

Chile, Russia, China, Ireland, Belgium

Cobalt

100%

China, Belgium, Netherlands, US, Japan

Nickel

100%

Sweden, China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines

Vanadium

100%

Kuwait, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Thailand

Niobium

100%

Brazil, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Indonesia

Germanium

100%

China, South Africa, Australia, France, US

Rhenium

100%

Russia, UK, Netherlands, South Africa, China

Beryllium

100%

Russia, UK, Netherlands, South Africa, China

Tantalum

100%

Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, Malaysia, US

Strontium

100%

China, the US, Russia, Estonia, Slovenia

Zirconium(zircon)

80%

Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, Malaysia, US

Graphite(natural)

60%

China, Madagascar, Mozambique, Vietnam, Tanzania

Manganese

50%

South Africa, Gabon, Australia, Brazil, China

Chromium

2.5%

South Africa, Mozambique, Oman, Switzerland, Turkey

Silicon

<1%

China, Malaysia, Norway, Bhutan, Netherlands

Economic Importance + Supply Risk = Criticality of Minerals

PGE Group of Elements refers to Platinum Group Elements—namely platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os). These six rare metals share similar physical and chemical properties, such as high melting points and excellent catalytic qualities, and are found together in specific mineral deposits often associated with nickel and copper deposits. They are important for high-technology sectors, including automotive (catalytic converters), electronics, and medical equipment.

Rare Earth Elements (REEs)

• REE are a group of 17 chemical elements.
• They comprise the 15 lanthanide elements, along with scandium and yttrium.
• They are relatively abundant in Earth’s crust.
• They are rare because they are found in low concentrations and mixed with other minerals, making them difficult and expensive to extract.
• REEs are used to make magnets for electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, weapons, etc.
• They are used in electric vehicle (EV) motors, medical devices, weaponry, etc.
• REEs are divided into Heavy (HREEs) and Light (LREEs).
• LREEs are abundant, while HREEs are more critical due to their high demand and low availability.
• Among LREEs, neodymium is the most critical as it is extensively used in all mobile phones, medical equipment and electric vehicles.
• HREEs (like dysprosium, yttrium, and cerium) are critical for clean energy technologies; however, due to their limited supply, they have a small market.
• REEs available in India: Lanthanum, Cerium, Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium, etc.

Significance of Critical Minerals

Environment 

• Crucial for renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and semiconductors.
• Also, crucial for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

National Security 

• Essential for India''s defense sector, including missile systems, aerospace, and communication technologies.

Economic & Electronic 

• Shift to electric vehicles (EVs) requires lithium-ion batteries.
• Essential for semiconductor chips in smartphones, computers, and communication devices.

Six Critical Elements Opened for Private Mining

Lithium

• • Lithium is a non-ferrous, soft, silvery-white alkali metal.
  • It is also called ‘white gold’ due to its high demand for rechargeable batteries.

Properties

• • Under standard conditions, it is the least dense metaland the least dense solid element.
  • Like all alkali metals, it is highly reactiveand flammable, so it must be stored in vacuum, inert atmosphere, or inert liquid (such as purified kerosene or mineral oil).
  • It exhibits a metallic lustre. But it corrodes quickly in the airto a dull silvery grey, then black tarnish.

Occurrence

• • It never occurs freely in naturebut occurs mainly as pegmatitic minerals.
  • Due to its solubility as an ion, it is present in ocean waterand commonly obtained from brines (high-concentration salt solution in water).
  • Lithium metal is isolated electrolyticallyfrom a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.

Global Reserves and Production

• • Countries with largest reserves:1^st Bolivia > 2^nd Argentina > 3^rd Chile > 4^th US > Australia > China.
  • 54% of the world’s lithium reservesare in three South American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. The area is referred to as the ‘Lithium Triangle’.
  • Top Producers:1^st Australia > 2^nd Chile > 3^rd China > 4^th Aregentina > 5^th Zimbabwe

Uses

• • Lithium-ion batteriesare used in laptops, mobiles, electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, etc.
  • It is used to make alloys with aluminium and magnesium, which are stronger but lighter.
  • It is used in nuclear reactions, the ceramics and glass industry, and lubricating greases.
  • It is also used for carbon dioxide removaland air purification (esp. in confined areas, such as spacecraft and submarines).

Titanium

• • Titanium is a metal that has a silver-grey appearance.
  • Properties:high strength, lightweight, and is corrosion-resistant, heat resistant (due to high melting point), and biocompatible (compatible with living tissues and has low reactivity with the human body).
  • Occurrence:found in nature only as an oxide, not in its pure metallic form.
  • It is found in various minerals,rocks, and soils. It is also present in plants, animals, natural waters, deep-sea dredgings, meteorites, and stars.
  • Ores:The most abundant titanium ore is ilmenite. Other titanium ores include rutile and titanite.
    • Ilmenite:It is an iron-black, heavy, metallic oxide mineral. It is composed of iron and titanium oxide. It is commonly found in igneous rocks.
    • Rutile:It has a distinctive reddish-brown colour and a higher titanium dioxide content than ilmenite. It occurs in igneous and metamorphic rocks and is often found in association with ilmenite.
    • Titanite:It is a calcium titanium silicate mineral. It is green, yellowish-green, brown, or black in colour. It is commonly found in metamorphic and igneous rocks.

• • Top Producers of Titanium:1^st China > 2^nd Russia > 3^rd Japan > 4^th Kazakhstan > 5^th Ukraine
  • Uses:nuclear applications, defence, aerospace, marine, and construction industries, high-performance alloys, electrical goods, medical implants, and jewellery.

Zirconium

• • Zirconium is a greyish-white metal.
  • Properties:soft, malleable, lustrous, ductile, and corrosion-resistant.
  • Occurrence:zircon mineral (zirconium silicate) commonly found in beach sands.
  • Baddeleyite(pure zirconium dioxide) is the only other important zirconium mineral.
  • Top Producers:1^st Australia > 2^nd South Africa > 3^rd China > 4^th Ukraine > 5^th Mozambique
  • Uses:nuclear applications, aerospace and defence industries, production of superalloys, capacitors, medical implants, ceramics, and zircon Gemstones.

Beryllium

• • Beryllium is a steel-grey metalwith chemical properties resembling those of aluminium.
  • Properties:light, high melting point, excellent thermal conductivity, low density and brittle.
  • Occurrence:It does not occur freely in nature. It is primarily extracted from beryl and bertrandite minerals. Beryl forms gemstones, such as emeralds and aquamarine.
  • Top Producers of Beryllium:1^st United States > 2^nd China > 3^rd Mozambique > 4^th Brazil > 5^th
  • Uses:nuclear applications, aerospace and defence industries, production of alloys and semiconductors (due to its ability to improve the electrical performance of semiconductors).
  • Beryllium is transparent to X-rays, making it an ideal material for X-ray windows.

Niobium

• • Niobium is a grey metal that looks like steelor, when polished, like platinum.
  • Properties:It is soft, ductile, corrosion-resistant, and superconductive (at low temperatures).
  • Occurrence:It is primarily obtained from the minerals columbite-tantalite (coltan) and pyrochlore.
  • Top Producers of Niobium:1^st Brazil > 2^nd Canada > 3^rd Rwanda > 4^th Nigeria > 5^th
  • Uses:nuclear applications, alloys, electronic components, orthopaedic and dental implants, etc.

Tantalum

• • Tantalum is bright, silver-grey metal.
  • Properties:It is very hard and has high density, high melting point, and corrosion resistance.
  • Occurrence:It is obtained from the mineral columbite-tantalite (coltan).
  • Columbite-tantalite is a black-to-brownish-black mineral that contains both niobiumand tantalum.
  • Top Producers:1^st Democratic Republic of Congo > 2^nd Brazil > 3^rd Rwanda > 4^th Nigeria > 5^th
  • Uses:nuclear applications, aerospace and defence industries, production of capacitors, medical implants, super alloys, etc.

Other Initiatives taken for critical Minerals 

Policy and Regulatory Framework

• Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023: It enables exploration and mining of critical minerals. 
• National Mineral Policy, 2019: It promotes sustainable mining and exploration of critical minerals.
• Elimination of customs duties on majority of the critical minerals in Union budget 2024-25

Exploration and Domestic Production

• Geological Survey of India (GSI): Conducting extensive exploration for lithium, rare earths, and other critical minerals.
• Lithium Reserves Discovery (2023): Significant lithium deposits found in Reasi, Jammu & Kashmir.
• Strategic Mineral Reserves: Plans to establish reserves for critical minerals like lithium and cobalt.

International Collaborations & Trade Agreements

• Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), 2019: A joint venture company of Ministry of Mines to acquire critical minerals globally.

• KABIL has engagements with countries like Argentina, Australia etc.

• Minerals Security Partnership (MSP): India joined the US-led initiative to ensure a stable critical minerals supply chain in 2023.