India Counts 8.52 Million Tonnes of Rare Earth Oxides, Still Reliant on Imported Magnets

Overview

• The science minister told the Rajya Sabha that India has about 8.52 million tonnes of rare earth oxide resources yet still buys most finished magnets from abroad.
• AMD mapped 7.23 million tonnes in monazite found in coastal sands across eight states and 1.29 million tonnes in hard rock in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• He cited three hurdles that keep output low: ore grades of only 0.056–0.058 percent tied to radioactivity, strict coastal and forest rules that limit mining, and a thin midstream industry for metals, alloys and magnets.
• To jump-start manufacturing, a Rs 7,280 crore scheme backs sintered rare earth magnet plants with Rs 6,450 crore in sales incentives and Rs 730 crore for capital costs toward a 6,000-tonne annual target.
• A small samarium–cobalt magnet plant now runs in Andhra Pradesh, new rare earth corridors are budgeted in four coastal states, and agencies have stepped up exploration and block auctions to build a full supply chain.