India is set to introduce a policy to recover critical minerals from mining by-products, known as tailings. This initiative will help boost the availability of essential materials for next-generation manufacturing.
During her budget speech on Saturday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that import duty relaxations and policy interventions would secure the availability of critical minerals for manufacturing and create jobs in the country.
Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy emphasized that the new ‘tailings policy’ aligns with the National Critical Mineral Mission’s objectives. “This policy will increase domestic availability, strengthening our strategic industries such as clean energy, semiconductors, defense, and space,” he said.
Sitharaman also revealed concessions for importing metal scrap to support the domestic recycling industry.
A statement from the Mines Ministry described the removal of import duty on non-ferrous metal scrap and critical mineral scrap, including cobalt powder and lithium-ion battery (LIB) scrap, as a “game-changer.” These measures will boost the competitiveness of India’s secondary metal and critical mineral recycling industries, reduce production costs, and encourage investments in advanced recycling technologies.
To promote mining sector reforms, particularly for minor minerals, the government announced that it would share best practices and create a State Mining Index. “Effective tailings management will enhance domestic availability of critical minerals and support the local processing industry,” the ministry stated.
