Govt likely to announce policy on critical minerals stockpiling in a month: Mines Secretary

New Delhi: The Government is likely to announce a policy on stockpiling of critical minerals within a month, a move which is expected to ensure the supply of these resources to strategic sectors like defence, aerospace and energy.

"We are on the verge of finalising the policy on stockpiling of critical minerals which will be announced in about a month's time," Mines Secretary Keshav Chandra told reporters.

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The government is also working on four dedicated critical minerals processing parks across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to fast-track value addition for key battery materials, the official said, speaking on the sidelines of the India Mines and Minerals Conclave 2026 organised by the industry body Assocham.

The government has already released a list of over 30 critical minerals, taking into account the requirements of sectors like defence, agriculture, energy, pharmaceutical, and telecom, among others.

Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential raw materials required to fuel the growth of clean energy technologies and their expanding uses across wind turbines, electricity networks, electric vehicles and battery manufacturing.

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Addressing the conference earlier in the day, the official highlighted the sector's progress through policy reforms while emphasising the need to accelerate exploration, strengthen critical mineral capabilities, promote recycling and beneficiation, and adopt modern mining practices.

"We have to look at innovative methods to make use of that wealth of information. Any country which has made spectacular progress is also utilising its wealth and infusing new technology, looking at the entire resource from a new perspective altogether," he said.

Kadam Sandeep Vasant, Joint Secretary-cum-Mission Head, National Critical Mineral Mission, highlighted the importance of developing a self-reliant and resilient critical minerals ecosystem in India to support strategic sectors such as electronics, defence, space research and nuclear energy, and underscored the Rs 1,500-crore incentive scheme for critical mineral recycling.

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