India finds rare earth elements in coal mine waste
What's the story
India has discovered rare earth elements (REEs) in the mineral waste of coal mines. The finding was made during tests at the Sathupalli and Ramagundam open-cast mines by government-owned Non-ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC). As per a CNBC-TV18 report, 1kg of Scandium plus Strontium was found in 15 tons of clay. The discovery is part of a larger effort to boost resource utilization and achieve self-reliance in critical minerals under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM).
Elemental significance
Supply to start from August
Scandium and Strontium are two important elements with diverse industrial applications. Scandium is mainly used in aircraft components, fuel cells, and high-performance sports goods. On the other hand, Strontium finds its use in alloys, ferrite ceramic magnets, medicines, vacuum systems, and cathode-ray tubes. The supply of these elements is expected to start from August this year from both mines.
Strategic response
India looking for alternative sourcing destinations
In light of supply chain concerns over critical minerals and REEs, India is looking for alternative sourcing destinations such as Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. This comes after China's halt on REE exports was seen as a wake-up call for the world. China currently accounts for some 60% of global rare earth magnets production and processes nearly 90% of the supply.
Global standing
China leads the world in REE deposits
China leads the world in REE deposits with 44 million tons (MT), while India ranks third with 6.9 MT, according to the US Geological Survey. Brazil is second on this list. An EY report also revealed that India holds over a third of the world's sand mineral deposits, which can be used for sourcing REEs.
Regulatory measures
All Indian mines directed to test their dumps
From this month, all Indian mines have been directed to test their dumps for critical minerals. The directive covers overburden, waste dumping, tailings, and rejects that are usually considered mineral waste after mining. Earlier this year, India had made it mandatory to declare the existence of critical minerals even for minor mineral leases. This move was aimed at maximizing exploration and production of critical minerals in India.