Mines Ministry looks to appoint dedicated officers abroad to secure critical mineral supply

The Ministry of Mines is considering appointing dedicated officers as representatives for the ‘Critical Mineral Mission’ and KABIL at various Indian Missions abroad. The Ministry has requested the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to assist in facilitating the process.

The officers will act as a central point of contact for Indian companies seeking investment opportunities in critical minerals abroad, coordinate with local governments, mining entities and relevant authorities in the respective countries. The initiative is a part of India’s strategy to secure a stable supply of critical minerals to support its energy transition and industrial needs.

In a letter to the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, the Union Coal and Mines Minister, G Kishan Reddy, put forward the request to “designate officers” in select Indian Missions including Argentina, Australia, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Africa...The officers would be a single point of contact, including for companies that are looking to invest overseas and facilitate handholding, if required.

India has identified 24 critical minerals, including lithium —five blocks of which have been acquired in Argentina, where non-invasive exploration is underway, along with due diligence being conducted for blocks in Australia. Efforts are also focused on copper and cobalt, with sourcing and exploration discussions underway with African nations such as Congo and Zambia. Other critical minerals on the list include vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, rare earth elements (REE), platinum group elements (PGE) and graphite.

It also has MoUs with at least 13 countries for exploration, sourcing and possible investment by private and government-run entities in the field of critical minerals. Some of these countries include Mozambique, Cote d’Ivorie, Chile, Colombia, Bolivia and Morocco.

The Minister sought to “direct” Indian Missions “to actively engage with identified countries” so as to “foster partnerships” in exploration and mining of critical and strategic minerals. “Collaborative agreements in these areas (exploration and mining) will not only strengthen our resource supply chains; but also support India’s ambitious energy transition goals,” Reddy wrote. A list of 28 countries of interest has been shared.

The Mines Minister said work is under-way on the National Critical Mineral Mission will “diversify sources of critical raw materials”, foster sustainable mining partnerships and support domestic manufacturing through assured availability of these minerals.

“Concurrently, the Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) – the state-owned entity formed to acquire mines overseas – is being strengthened to reinforce mineral security...” he added.