India fully dependent on imports for lithium, cobalt, nickel, committee finds

Who it concerns: Ministry of Coal, Mines, and Steel; the general public affected by mineral supply chains, environmental regulations, and industrial employment.

What the committee found

• Import dependence: The Committee noted India is fully dependent on imports for lithium, cobalt, and nickel, and substantially reliant on imports for graphite, potash, and phosphorus, while being self-sufficient in bauxite, chromite, iron ore, limestone, and sillimanite.
• Processing and refining: The Committee flagged limited domestic capabilities in processing and refining and recommended accelerating development of cost-competitive domestic capacities and exploring international collaborations for technology transfer, particularly in the rare earth sector.
• Regulatory delays: The Committee identified lengthy regulatory clearances and delays between mine auction and operationalisation as slowing production, and recommended setting up an inter-ministerial group to monitor post-auction progress, along with incentives for early production and penalties for delays.
• Sustainability measures: The Committee noted delays in finalizing mine star ratings and recommended expediting these assessments, promoting mineral recycling through financial incentives, and recovering minerals from e-waste, batteries, and industrial scrap.
• Public-private partnerships: The Committee noted that the private sector accounts for 60% of mineral production value and recommended increasing collaboration through Public-Private Partnerships.

Also in the document

• The Committee observed that India is fully dependent on imports for lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
• The Committee noted that the private sector accounts for 60% of the value of mineral production.
• The Committee recommended establishing environmentally compliant shredding facilities to reduce reliance on fresh mineral extraction.