CRITICAL MINERALS
1. Context
Recently, India's Centre identifies 30 critical minerals essential for economic development and national security.
These minerals are crucial for clean technologies, information and communication technologies and advanced manufacturing inputs.
The identification is based on a report prepared by an expert team from the Ministry of Mines.
2. Previous Efforts and International Commitments
- Previous initiatives in India to identify critical minerals for industrial growth and resource management.
- The recent focus is on exploring and developing rare earth elements in the country.
- The trigger for the latest exercise is India's international commitments to reduce carbon emissions and transition to cleaner energy sources.
3. Three-Stage Assessment Process
- First Stage: Studying strategies and priorities of major global economies and identifying 69 elements or minerals considered critical.
- Second Stage: Inter-ministerial consultations to identify minerals critical to specific sectors
- Third Stage: Develop an empirical formula to evaluate criticality based on economic importance and supply risk.
4. Critical Minerals
- Critical minerals are a group of minerals that are essential for a country's economic development and national security.
- These minerals play a crucial role in various industries and sectors including clean technologies, advanced manufacturing, telecommunications, defence and transportation.
- The lack of availability or concentration of extraction in a few geographic locations can lead to supply chain vulnerabilities and disrupt the supply of critical minerals.
4.1. List of Critical Minerals
- A total of 30 minerals were identified as most critical for India, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, tin and copper.
- Importance of these minerals in various sectors like high-tech electronics, telecommunications, transport and defence.
- Two critical minerals identified as fertiliser minerals: Selenium and Cadmium.
5. Establishment of a Specialized Agency
- Proposal to establish a National Institute or Centre of Excellence on critical minerals similar to Australia's CSIRO.
- This agency will periodically update the list of critical minerals, develop strategies and facilitate the value chain development.
6. Global Practices
- Overview of critical mineral identification methodologies in the US, UK, European Union, Japan and Australia.
- Parameters considered include supply risk, economic importance, production concentration and recycling rate.
7. Domestic and Global Outreach
- Geological Survey of India's exploration of lithium ore reserves in Jammu & Kashmir.
- Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) was established to acquire overseas mineral assets of critical and strategic nature.
- India's inclusion in the US-led Mineral Security Partnership to secure critical mineral supply chains and reduce dependency on China.
8. The Way Forward
- India's identification of critical minerals supports economic growth, national security and international commitments.
- Focus on developing competitive value chains and utilizing advanced technologies for mineral exploration.
- The list of critical minerals will guide India in planning for acquisition, reducing import dependency and ensuring long-term supply.
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For Prelims: Critical minerals, Ministry of Mines, carbon emissions, cleaner energy, lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, tin, copper, Selenium, Cadmium, Centre of Excellence on critical minerals, Australia's CSIRO, Geological Survey of India,
For Mains:
1. What are critical minerals? Discuss their significance for a country's economic development and national security. Explain how the identification of critical minerals helps in reducing import dependency and ensuring resource security. (250 Words)
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Previous Year Questions
1. With reference to the mineral resources of India, consider the following pairs: (UPSC 2010)
Mineral 90%Natural sources in
1. Copper Jharkhand
2. Nickel Orissa
3. Tungsten Kerala
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
A. 1 and 2 only B. 2 only C. 1 and 3 only D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
2. Recently, there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called 'rare earth metals.' Why? (UPSC 2012)
1. China, which is the largest producer of these elements, has imposed some restrictions on their export.
2. Other than China, Australia, Canada and Chile, these elements are not found in any country. 3. Rare earth metals are essential for the manufacture of various kinds of electronic items and there is a growing demand for these elements.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only B. 2 and 3 only C. 1 and 3 only D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: C
3. In India, what is the role of the Coal Controller's Organization (CCO)? (UPSC 2022)
1. CCO is the major source of Coal Statistics in Government of India.
2. It monitors progress of development of Captive Coal/Lignite blocks.
3. It hears any objection to the Government's notification relating to acquisition of coal-bearing areas.
4. It ensures that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1, 2 and 3 B. 3 and 4 only C. 1 and 2 only D. 1, 2 and 4
Answer: A
4. Which of the following statements best describes the term 'Social Cost of Carbon'? It is a measure, in monetary value, of the (UPSC 2020)
A. long-term damage done by a tonne of CO2 emission in a given year.
B. requirement of fossil fuels for a country to provide goods and services to its citizens, based on the burning of those fuels.
C. efforts put in by a climate refugee to adapt to live in a new place.
D. contribution of an individual person to the carbon footprint on the planet Earth.
Answer: A
5. Direction: It consists of two statements, one labelled as ‘Statement (I)’ and the others as ‘Statement (II)’. You are to examine these two statements carefully and select the answer using the codes given below: (UPSC ESE 2018)
Statement (I): Green energy refers to one which does not harm the ecosystem of planet earth. Statement (II): All renewable energy is green energy.
A. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) individually true and Statement (II) is the correct explanation of Statement (I)
B. Both statement (I) and Statement (II) are individually true, but Statement (II) is not the correct explanation of Statement (I)
C. Statement (I) is true, but Statement (II) is false
D. Statement (I) is false, but Statement (II) is true
Answer: C
6. Which type of battery is used in the recently launched world's first fully electric cargo ship by change? (Delhi Police Constable 2017)
A. Lead Acid B. Manganese C. Lithium ion D. Nickel metal hydride
Answer: C
7. White gold is an alloy of (UPSC CAPF 2022)
A. gold, nickel and palladium
B. gold, cobalt and palladium
C. gold, titanium and platinum
D. gold, magnesium and palladium
Answer: A
8. Graphene is frequently in news recently. What is its importance? (UPSC 2012)
1. It is a two-dimensional material and has good electrical conductivity.
2. It is one of the thinnest but strongest materials tested so far.
3. It is entirely made of silicon and has high optical transparency.
4. It can be used as 'conducting electrodes' required for touch screens, LCDs and organic LEDs. Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only B. 3 and 4 only C. 1, 2 and 4 only D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: C
9. Graphite and diamonds are__________. (WBCS Prelims 2020)
A. isotopes B. isomers C. isotones D. allotropes
Answer: D
10. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2020)
1. Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury.
2. Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment. 3. High ash content is observed in Indian coal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only B. 2 and 3 only C. 3 only D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
11. Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India? (UPSC 2013)
1. Arsenic
2. Sorbitol
3. Fluoride
4. Formaldehyde
5. Uranium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
A. 1 and 3 only B. 2, 4 and 5 only C. 1, 3 and 5 only D. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer: C
12. In the context of solving pollution problems, what is/are the advantage/advantages of the bioremediation technique? (UPSC 2017)
1. It is a technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation process that occurs in nature.
2. Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation using microorganisms.
3. Genetic engineering can be used to create microorganisms specifically designed for bioremediation.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1 only B. 2 and 3 only C. 1 and 3 only D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: C
13. Due to improper/indiscriminate disposal of old and used computers or their parts, which of the following are released into the environment as e-waste? (UPSC 2013)
1. Beryllium
2. Cadmium
3. Chromium
4. Heptachlor
5. Mercury
6. Lead
7. Plutonium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
A. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 only B. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 only
C. 2, 4, 5 and 7 only D. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
Answer: B
14. When was the Geological Survey of India (GSI) of India founded? (UPRVUNL Staff Nurse 2021)
A. 1851 B. 1951 C. 1871 D. 1931
Answer: A
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Source: The Indian Express
