India must adopt a comprehensive strategy to recover critical minerals from processing waste, as highlighted in a recent Ficci-Deloitte report. The report emphasizes the need for policy reforms, technological advancements, and improved supply chain integration to achieve this goal.
Critical minerals are essential for clean energy technologies, electric vehicles, and battery manufacturing. They also play a crucial role in the defence sector, contributing to aircraft, missile, and tank production. With increasing global demand, ensuring a steady supply of these minerals is vital.
The report notes that while India is making efforts to secure its critical mineral resources, challenges such as limited exploration, long mine development timelines, and processing difficulties highlight the need to explore alternative sources. Mining waste, including fly ash, red mud, and metal slag, holds potential for extracting minerals like nickel, cobalt, and titanium.
Many countries, including the USA, Canada, and Australia, are already investing in innovative technologies to recover minerals from mine waste. In India, research institutions and mining companies are collaborating on similar initiatives.
By recovering minerals from waste, India can reduce imports and support sustainable mining. This aligns with the National Mineral Policy’s goal of zero-waste mining, promoting environmental responsibility while maximizing resource efficiency. As India works towards its net-zero targets, building a sustainable critical mineral recovery ecosystem is both necessary and timely.