Critical Minerals

What are Critical Minerals?

There is no global definition of critical minerals, but essentially, they are mineral deposits with high economic vulnerability and high global supply chain risk.
Globally, there is a gap between projected supply and projected demand for many critical minerals by the end of this decade, especially in cobalt and lithium.
They are used for making EV batteries and are also critical for making semiconductors and high-end electronics manufacturing.
These minerals are also used in manufacturing fighter jets, drones, radio sets and other critical equipment, hence it is critical for aerospace, communications and defence industries.

Who are the top producers of critical minerals?

According to a report released by the International Energy Agency, the major producers of critical minerals globally are Chile, Indonesia, Congo, China, Australia and South Africa.
China dominates in terms of processing.

Scenario in India

Presently, India boasts a production of 95 minerals and possesses the world’s fifth-largest reserve of rare earth minerals.
Yet, India heavily relies on imports for the majority of its minerals, with a few exceptions like copper, gallium, graphite, cadmium, phosphorus, potash, and titanium.
India has only tapped into 10–20 percent of its actual capacity in terms of critical mineral exploration.

What are Rare Earth Elements?

The rare earth elements (REE) are a set of seventeen metallic elements. These include the fifteen lanthanides on the periodic table plus scandium and yttrium.
While named “rare” earth elements, they are in fact not that rare and are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust.
It is difficult to find them in sufficient concentrated clumps in one particular region to support economic mineral development, especially in countries with more stringent mining laws and environmental programs.
Rare-earth elements (REE) has a wide range of applications, such as in cellular telephones, computer hard drives, electric and hybrid vehicles, and flat-screen monitors and televisions., significant defense applications, guidance systems, lasers, and radar and sonar systems.

Coking Coal

- Coking coal, also known as Metallurgical coal, is a naturally occurring sedimentary rock found within the earth’s crust.
- It is a grade of coal that can be used to produce good-quality coke.

Coke is an essential fuel and reactant in the blast furnace process for primary steelmaking.

Why in News?

India has set up joint working groups at the Mongolian embassy to explore the possibility of collaborating with the land-locked Central Asian nation to secure coking coal and critical minerals like copper and rare earth elements, sidestepping the Chinese wall.

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