Overview
- The committee held its second session at Singareni Bhavan in Hyderabad, chaired by Dr. D. K. Singh, to advance self‑reliance in lithium, rare earths, cobalt and nickel for clean tech, electronics and defence.
- Singareni Collieries reported pilots to extract rare earths from overburden and clays in opencast mines and to recover valuable minerals from fly and bottom ash at its thermal power plant.
- Members reviewed demand‑supply gaps, mapped state‑wise exploration opportunities and flagged technology and policy support needs under the National Critical Mineral Mission, a seven‑year ₹34,300‑crore effort through 2030‑31.
- Participants included senior officials from Coal India, GMDC, Vedanta, Hindalco, Hindustan Zinc and Adani Group alongside research bodies such as IMMT and CSIR‑CECRI, with calls to deepen R&D and strategic partnerships.
- NITI Aayog’s R. Saravanabhavan said the panel will deliver a time‑bound report and meet next month at NLC India Limited, while SCCL also received a lithium partnership invitation from Brazil’s Companhia Brasileira de Lítio.