India Maps 7.23 Million Tonnes Rare Earth Resources, Expands Uranium Mining and Global Lithium Ventures

India is intensifying its rare earth and uranium exploration drive, with over 300 projects launched by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD), alongside auctions of critical mineral blocks and overseas ventures through KABIL. The government estimates 7.23 million tonnes of rare earth oxide equivalent resources, positioning India as a serious player in the global critical minerals race.

Exploration & Auctions

• AMD (Atomic Minerals Directorate): Conducting integrated exploration for Rare Earth Elements (REE) and uranium across coastal sands, inland alluvium, and hard rock terrains.
• GSI (Geological Survey of India):
  • Between 2021–22 and 2023–24, carried out 166 REE projects.
  • In 2024–25, completed 78 projects.
  • In 2025–26, initiated 92 projects.
• Ministry of Mines: Auctioned 46 critical mineral blocks, including 7 REE blocks, plus 7 exploration licenses (2 for REE).

Resource Estimates (AMD)

• 7.23 Million Tonnes (Mt) TREO Eq. in 13.15 Mt monazite, found in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
• 1.29 Mt TREO Eq. in hard rock terrains of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs)

• IREL (India) Limited: Processes rare earth-bearing minerals from beach sand materials into high-purity oxides. Operates integrated mining and refining facilities in Odisha, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
• UCIL (Uranium Corporation of India Limited): Runs seven uranium mines and two processing plants in Jharkhand, plus one mine and plant at Tummalapalle, Andhra Pradesh.

Overseas Ventures

• KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Limited): A joint venture under the Ministry of Mines, created to secure overseas assets.
  • Signed an agreement with CAMYEN (Argentina) for exploration of five lithium brine blocks.
  • No long-term agreements yet for REEs, cobalt, or uranium.

Strategic Context

• India launched the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) in 2025, aiming to reduce import dependency and build a domestic value chain for rare earths, lithium, cobalt, and uranium.
• GSI is evolving from a mapping agency into an investment enabler, preparing mineral assets for private and global investors.
• Rare earths are vital for EV batteries, wind turbines, defense systems, and semiconductors, making India’s exploration crucial for energy security and technological competitiveness.

Challenges Ahead

• Value Chain Development: India must move beyond exploration to processing, refining, and manufacturing of rare earth-based products.
• Global Competition: China dominates rare earth supply; India’s efforts aim to diversify sources and reduce vulnerability.
• Environmental & Social Concerns: Mining projects in Jharkhand and coastal states face challenges of land acquisition, rehabilitation, and ecological impact.

Conclusion

India’s rare earth and uranium exploration is no longer just geological—it’s strategic. With 7.23 Mt of rare earth resources identified, 300+ projects underway, and overseas lithium ventures, the country is laying the groundwork for self-reliance in critical minerals. The next step will be building a domestic refining and manufacturing ecosystem to translate exploration success into industrial strength.

India Enters Global Rare Earth Value Chain with ARCI’s Nd-Fe-B Magnet Pilot Plant

India has taken a decisive step toward self-reliance in critical materials with the inauguration of a pilot plant for Nd-Fe-B (Neodymium-Iron-Boron) rare earth permanent magnets at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad. The facility, established under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), marks India’s formal entry into the global rare earth value chain.

Made from Neodymium (Nd), Iron (Fe), and Boron (B), the Nd-Fe-B magnets are the strongest commercially available permanent magnets, widely used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, electronics, and defense applications. Known as super magnets, they are the strongest permanent magnets available today. 

A Strategic Milestone

The pilot plant was inaugurated by Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST, alongside Dr. R. Vijay, Director, ARCI, in the presence of eminent leaders including Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Former DST Secretary and Chairman of ARCI’s Governing Council, Dr. S. K. Jha, Former CMD, MIDHANI, and Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). The event drew participation from industry leaders, national institutes, and stakeholders across the innovation ecosystem.

Pilot Plant for the manufacture of Nd-Fe-B (Neodymium-Iron-Boron) rare earth permanent magnets at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad

End-to-End Manufacturing Capability

The facility adopts a complete “strip-cast alloy to finished sintered magnet” approach, enabling India to develop a robust and indigenous manufacturing ecosystem. Nd-Fe-B magnets are indispensable in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, consumer electronics, and advanced manufacturing technologies. By establishing this capability, India reduces dependence on highly concentrated global supply chains, which have long posed vulnerabilities for emerging economies.

Building Strategic Autonomy

Prof. Karandikar emphasized that the pilot plant is a critical step toward strategic autonomy in critical materials, particularly in the context of global supply chain disruptions and India’s growing demand for clean energy and advanced manufacturing. He noted, “As we work towards Viksit Bharat 2047, strengthening indigenous capabilities in critical technologies will be central to our development strategy. Initiatives like this help reduce dependence while enhancing resilience and competitiveness.”

Industry Collaboration & Innovation

The pilot plant is designed as a platform for technology validation, process optimization, and industry collaboration. It will support deep-tech startups, private sector participation, and translational research, accelerating commercialization of indigenous rare earth magnet technologies. Prof. Sharma highlighted its flexibility, noting that the facility will enable continuous innovation and product development.

Dr. Kalyanaraman outlined the Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas (MAHA), which aims to accelerate critical technologies including India’s EV ecosystem, and invited private sector participation. Meanwhile, Dr. Vijay underscored ARCI’s vision of building a “mineral-to-market” ecosystem, spanning rare earth extraction to magnet manufacturing.

Towards Atmanirbhar Bharat

The establishment of this pilot plant is more than a technological milestone—it is a strategic enabler for India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. By catalyzing industry participation, fostering innovation, and strengthening supply security, the facility positions India as a credible player in the global rare earth value chain. It will directly contribute to the growth of the electric mobility ecosystem, renewable energy adoption, and advanced materials manufacturing.

India Opens Bidding for World’s Strongest Magnets Manufacturing Under ₹7,280 Crore Scheme

India has taken a decisive step toward building self-reliance in advanced materials with the launch of bidding for integrated Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) manufacturing facilities. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has released the Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting companies to set up sintered NdFeB REPM plants with a total capacity of 6,000 Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA).

Sintered NdFeB REPM (Rare Earth Permanent Magnet) refers to high-performance magnets made from Neodymium (Nd), Iron (Fe), and Boron (B) through a sintering process. These magnets are among the strongest in the world and are widely used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, aerospace, defence, and advanced electronics.

A First-of-Its-Kind Initiative

Approved by the Union Cabinet in November 2025, the ₹7,280 crore scheme is the first national program dedicated to rare earth magnet manufacturing. These magnets—among the strongest in the world—are critical components in electric vehicles, wind turbines, aerospace systems, defence technologies, and high-end electronics. By establishing a complete value chain from NdPr oxide to finished magnets, India aims to cut import dependence and position itself as a global hub in this strategic sector.

Incentives and Support

• Capital subsidy of ₹750 crore
• Sales-linked incentives worth ₹6,450 crore
• Assured supply of NdPr oxide from IREL (India) Ltd. for the three lowest bidders

Each selected beneficiary will be allocated a manufacturing capacity between 600 MTPA and 1,200 MTPA, ensuring balanced distribution across multiple players.

Transparent Bidding Process

The bidding will be conducted online through the Central Public Procurement (CPP) Portal using a two-stage Least Cost System (LCS):

• Technical Bid
• Financial Bid

• Tender documents available: 20 March 2026
• Pre-bid conference: 7 April 2026
• Bid submission deadline: 28 May 2026
• Technical bid opening: 29 May 2026

Strategic Importance

Rare Earth Permanent Magnets are indispensable for clean energy and advanced technology. Their role in electric mobility and renewable energy aligns with India’s broader goals of sustainability and energy independence. By fostering domestic production, the scheme not only reduces reliance on imports but also strengthens India’s position in global supply chains.

Looking Ahead

This initiative signals India’s ambition to lead in high-tech manufacturing. With strong government backing, transparent processes, and lucrative incentives, the scheme is expected to attract major industry players and accelerate India’s journey toward technological self-reliance.

IIT Hyderabad and Mahindra University Collaborate on Critical Minerals, AI in Mining, and Start-up Incubation

• Collaboration to advance research, education, and innovation in Critical Minerals, Mining technologies, and Sustainable industrial processes
• Mahindra University to serve as a SPOKE Institute for IIT Hyderabad’s Centre of Excellence in Critical Minerals
• Focus on Mining 4.0, AI-driven Mining, Autonomous Systems, and Start-up incubation aligned with national priorities

Mahindra University and the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) have entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a long-term partnership in research, education, training, and innovation, with a strong emphasis on Critical Minerals, Sustainable Mining, and Advanced industrial processes.

The collaboration aims to strengthen India’s capabilities in Critical Mineral exploration and processing—an area of growing national importance—by combining Mahindra University’s interdisciplinary academic approach with IIT Hyderabad’s strong research ecosystem. The partnership will span frontier domains including Iron ore beneficiation, Coal and mineral processing, Ironmaking and Steelmaking, Mining waste utilisation for infrastructure, extraction of Critical and Rare Earth Minerals, and Process modelling and simulation.

Beyond conventional mining research, the MoU also covers emerging areas such as AI and data analytics in Mining, Mining 4.0, Autonomous systems including Drones and Self-driving vehicles, and Incubation support for Start-ups and Innovators. These efforts are designed to translate advanced research into scalable technologies and skilled human capital for India’s Mineral and Manufacturing sectors.

Under the agreement, Mahindra University will function as a SPOKE institute for a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at IIT Hyderabad, enabling structured collaboration between faculty, researchers, and students of both institutions. The engagement will be operationalised through joint research projects, faculty and student exchanges, and shared access to laboratories and academic infrastructure.

The Ministry of Mines, GoI, has recognized 7 institutes – 4 IITs and 3 R&D Labs – as Centres of Excellence (CoE) under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) and IIT Hyderabad is one among the 4 IITs. The recognition of CoEs is an important step for fulfilling a key objective of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which is research and technology development in Critical Minerals.

Speaking on the partnership, Dr. Yajulu Medury, Vice Chancellor, Mahindra University, said that the collaboration directly addresses national priorities related to India’s Critical Mineral mission and promotes sustainable, indigenous technological solutions through research-led education.

Prof. B S Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, noted that India’s transition towards self-reliance in Critical Minerals and resource-efficient industrial processes requires sustained academic collaboration. He said the partnership would expand IITH’s research and training ecosystem, enabling multidisciplinary engagement and the translation of scientific knowledge into real-world technologies and skilled manpower.

The MoU places strong emphasis on capacity building and skill development, with planned initiatives including specialised training programmes for Mining professionals, elective and certificate courses in the Critical Minerals sector, a proposed master’s programme in Minerals and Coal processing, and short-duration programmes for working professionals. The collaboration also envisages seed support and incubation for Start-ups and MSMEs, along with engagement with venture capital firms to support commercialisation of research outcomes.

Designed as a long-term engagement governed by the academic frameworks of both institutions, the partnership seeks to advance knowledge, nurture skilled professionals, and support Atmanirbhar Bharat by strengthening India’s leadership in Critical Minerals and Sustainable industrial technologies.

About Mahindra University:

Mahindra University, Hyderabad (India), is a multidisciplinary, private university with a vision of “Educating future citizens for and of a better world”. It aims to play a significant role in driving globally acclaimed innovation in higher education in the coming years. Mahindra University’s special focus is on generating new knowledge through engagement in cutting-edge research, creating a spirit of research and discovery, experiential learning and entrepreneurship, whilst forging collaborations with industry and global academic institutions. The university is established by the Mahindra Group, one of the largest and most admired multinational federations of companies with presence in over 100 countries and with a turnover of over 25 billion.

The group, built on 80 years of legacy, has more than 3,24,000 employees globally. Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., its flagship company, is a global leader in mobility products and farm solutions and is the world's largest tractor company by volume. It is also India’s #1 tractor company, #1 electric 3-wheeler company, with strong businesses across financial services and IT services worldwide.

About IIT Hyderabad:

IITH, established in 2008, has reached a respectable position in academics, research, technology development, and Start-ups in a short span of 17 years. In the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF-2025), IITH is ranked 7th among Engineering institutes (crossing a first-generation IIT this year), and is ranked 6th in Innovation, while it has maintained its rank within the top 10 Engineering Institutes ever since NIRF was launched. IITH is ranked 664th and 270th in the QS World and Asian University Rankings 2026, respectively (among the top 10% of global institutions in citations per faculty). IITH secured 46 positions by 31 faculties in the Global Top 2% Scientists World list 2025 released by Stanford University (SU) in collaboration with Elsevier across two categories. IITH has been striving for excellence with a motto of "Inventing & Innovating in Technology for Humanity (IITH)".

With 340+ full-time Faculty, 360 non-teaching Staff and 5,700+ Students (PG+PhD students accounting for about 60%), IITH has a strong research focus with 5260+ R&D Projects worth of Rs. 1650+ Cr (Rs. 335+ Cr funding in 2024-25, i.e. Rs. 1+ Cr per Faculty, one of the largest per capita funding among IITs), 12,890+ Publications, 2,48,580+ Citations, 154 h-index, 710+ Patents (250 Patents in 2025, making it 0.75 patents per faculty in 2025), and about 335+ Start-ups (that have generated 1100+ jobs with a revenue of Rs. 1500+ Cr).

Vedanta Aluminium with IIT Kharagpur Develop Innovative Breakthrough, Gets Patent

Vedanta Aluminium patents innovative breakthrough in bauxite refining process

Developed in collaboration with IIT Kharagpur, the innovative process will enhance resource efficiency and curb energy consumption

Vedanta Aluminium, the largest aluminium producer in India, has announced the development of a groundbreaking process to significantly reduce the generation of bauxite residue, commonly known as red mud in the alumina refining process. The process reduces bauxite residue by a remarkable 30% by eliminating iron values while simultaneously recovering a higher alumina yield, reducing the total organic content from bauxite during the alumina refining. The process significantly enhances resource efficiency and curbs energy consumption during refining.

The research project was led by the company’s Research & Development (R&D) department in collaboration with the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT KGP), with special support from the Lanjigarh, Odisha unit, home to Vedanta’s world-class alumina refinery. This cutting-edge development will enhance the company’s operational excellence and have a sustainable impact on the global aluminium industry.

Bauxite is the primary ore for aluminium, and it undergoes an intermediate refining stage, known as the Bayer process, to produce alumina, which is then subjected to electrolysis to produce aluminium. This refining process generates bauxite residue as a by-product. To produce 1 kg of aluminium, it requires 2 kg of alumina, which consumes 6 kg of bauxite, leaving behind 4 kg of bauxite residue.

Managing this voluminous by-product sustainably has been a long-standing industry challenge. Vedanta Aluminium is actively engaged in minimising bauxite residue and exploring avenues to extract value from it. The company has developed a revolutionary process, which has been successfully validated in the laboratory and patented. Presently, the company is focusing on establishing a pilot plant to implement and assess the process, along with determining its potential advantages.

On the breakthrough, Mr. GG Pal, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Ltd., said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, operational efficiency is of paramount importance for us in achieving sustainability. Toward this goal, we are aggressively focusing on our in-house R&D initiatives to drive tech-led innovative solutions to address existing industry problems.”

Sharing his thoughts on the development, Dr. Amit Chatterjee, Chief Research & Development Officer, Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd., said, “We look forward to implementing our groundbreaking process in bauxite residue management in our refinery operations. This is a significant milestone that will offer a pathway to enhanced resource efficiency and energy conservation and contribute towards reshaping the global aluminium industry.”

Dr. Chenna Rao Borra, Assistant Professor, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IIT Kharagpur said, “Vedanta Aluminium’s dedication to R&D for sustainability goals is truly inspiring. The reduction of bauxite residue has been one of the key challenges for the aluminium industry, requiring significant technological advancements. The process, developed through the collaborative efforts of IIT Kharagpur and the company, will not only significantly improve bauxite residue management but also contribute to reducing the carbon footprint in the process.”

Vedanta Aluminium is the first company in the country to extract the entire volume of water from bauxite residue slurry and recycle it back into operational use, achieving Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) and demonstrating its commitment to water conservation. The remaining bauxite residue is densely packed in dried form and stored in a specially constructed and scientifically managed concretized area called the Bauxite Residue Reservoir. This containment method prevents bauxite residue from inadvertently leaching into the groundwater. For this processing purpose, the company was the first in the country to establish a Bauxite Residue Processing Plant. With the new method implementation, this residue generation will be reduced further.

Additionally, Vedanta Aluminium is actively collaborating with research institutes to develop innovative technologies for the utilization of bauxite residue. These technologies include the beneficiation of bauxite residue to enrich Rare Earth Elements (REEs), the recovery of alumina and iron values, and processes for extracting and separating titanium and REEs like Scandium. This effort is crucial because bauxite residue houses valuable metals, including iron, alumina, REEs, and titanium dioxide.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.

Large Deposits of Minerals Discovered in Andhra; Useful in Electronics, Nuclear Tech, Aviation and Green Tech

Representative Image

In an another significant development, scientists at the CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) in Hyderabad have discovered the presence of Light Rare Earth Elements (REE) in the Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The discovery of these REE minerals has varied applications and usage including manufacturing components in electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, TVs, automobiles, medical devices, jet aircraft and Nuclear reactors.

Moreover, the discovery will reduce India's reliance on foreign imports of these critical minerals, and will break China's near-monopoly on the production of rare earth elements.

The discovery was part of a study funded by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-India) under a project called SHORE (Shallow subsurface imaging Of India for Resource Exploration).

The Light Rare Earth Element minerals discovered include Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Yttrium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Niobium, Zirconium, and Scandium.

Confirming the minerals hosting these REE, Dr Raju PVS, Senior Principal Scientist, NGRI, told news agency PTI, "We found strong anomalous (enriched) Light Rare Earth Elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Y, Nb and Ta) in whole rock analyses." 

300 samples were subjected to further studies to understand the potential of REE Minerals. Dr. Raju said that deep drilling for at least a kilometre will help ascertain the consistency of the elements’ presence underground.

Silvery white Lanthanum is used in Hybrid car batteries, studio lighting and cinema projection as it increases the brightness and give an emission spectrum similar to the sunlight.

In current most significant usage of Lanthanum is in NiMH batteries, which can be found in many models of the Toyota Prius, a hybrid car that uses both internal combustion engine & electric motor. Each electric Prius motor requires 1 kilogram of Neodymium, and each battery uses 10 to 15 kg of Lanthanum.

About Praseodymium, its primary use is as an alloying agent with magnesium to create high-strength metals that are used in aircraft engines.

And, Neodymium has most important use in making very strong permanent magnets. Neodymium magnets are the strongest permanent magnets known in the world. A neodymium magnet of a few tens of grams can lift a thousand times its own weight. Neodymium also offer an effective way to improve the efficiency and performance of crucial clean energy technologies. However, the production of these elements is environmentally and economically costly.

Yttrium is often used in the making of microwave filters for radar and has also been used is used in lasers that can cut through metals.

Hafnium is a good absorber of neutrons and thus used in nuclear submarines or nuclear reactors. As alloys, Hafnium is used for liquid-rocket thruster nozzles, for example the main engine of the Spacecraft, Apollo Lunar Modules, had Hafnium alloy consisting 10% Hafnium. Niobium is used as alloy in jet engines and rockets, beams and girders for buildings and oil rigs, and oil and gas pipelines. This element also has superconducting properties

Scandium is a strong metal and its main application is in aluminium-scandium alloys for minor aerospace industry components. An aluminium-scandium alloy has been used in Russian MIG fighter planes, high-end bicycle frames and baseball bats.

The potential hubs for these REE-bearing minerals are Dancherla, Peddavaduguru, Danduvaripalle, Reddypalle Chintalchervu and the Pulikonda complex in Anantapur and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh. 

Notably, Anantapur, officially Anantapuramu district, in Andhra Pradesh is well known for its gold resources. Ramgiri, a village in Anantapur district has gold mines.

Earlier in February, Geological Survey of India discovered 5.9 million tonnes of lithium deposits in Jammu and Kashmir, which is crucial for Electric Vehicles industry.

About NGRI, headquartered in Hyderabad it was established in 1961 and has the mandate to conduct research for public-good science to enable government agencies, public and private sector stakeholders to make informed decisions about use of geo-resources sustainably and improve preparedness and resilience to natural hazards

NGRI is a constituent research laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)