India just made coking coal a 'critical mineral'
Business
India's government has officially labeled coking coal as a "critical and strategic mineral" under the country's mining law, following advice from top policy groups.
This update changes how coal is defined in the law and puts coking coal in focus for future planning.
Why should you care?
This move aims to boost local mining, cut down on expensive imports (which currently meet about 95% of the steel sector's coking coal requirement), and speed up approvals by relaxing some rules.
With most of India's 37 billion tons of coking coal sitting in Jharkhand, the plan could mean more jobs in mining, logistics, and steel—and help make India more self-reliant when it comes to key resources.