**Executive Summary**
This document is a response from the Ministry of Mines to unstarred question number 728, answered on February 4, 2026, regarding the progress and details of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). The response covers details from the mission's approval on January 29, 2025, to the expected outcomes by the end of the implementation period in 2030-31. The NCMM aims to secure India's critical mineral supply chain and strengthen the critical mineral value chains.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **NCMM Approval and Objectives:**
* The Union Cabinet approved the NCMM on January 29, 2025.
* Objectives include securing India's critical mineral supply chain and strengthening critical mineral value chains.
* **Exploration and Development:**
* GSI carried out 195 critical mineral exploration projects in 2024-25 and took up 230 projects in 2025-26.
* NMEDT sanctioned 62 projects (2024-25) and 60 projects (2025-26) to NPEAs/NEAs.
* The MMDR Act was amended in 2025 to expand NMEDT's scope to support overseas critical mineral exploration and mining.
* **Auctioning and Recycling:**
* 46 blocks of critical and strategic minerals have been successfully auctioned since the MMDR Act amendment in 2023.
* 7 blocks have been auctioned under the Exploration License regime, including 3 critical mineral blocks.
* A ₹1,500 crore Incentive Scheme was approved to promote critical mineral recycling, launched on October 2, 2025.
* **Infrastructure and R&D:**
* Guidelines were issued on November 14, 2025, for funding pilot projects for recovering critical minerals from overburden/tailings/fly ash/red mud.
* ₹500 crore is earmarked to support domestic critical mineral processing capabilities.
* Nine premier institutes recognized as Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to carry out R&D.
* **International Cooperation:**
* KABIL signed an Exploration and Development Agreement with CAMYEN for Lithium Brine Blocks in Argentina.
* KABIL holds meetings to acquire critical mineral assets abroad.
* The Ministry has entered into bilateral MoUs with countries like Australia, Argentina, Zambia, Peru, and Germany.
* **NCMM Targets (FY 2024-25 to 2030-31):**
* Domestic Critical Mineral Exploration Projects: 1200
* Foreign Critical Mineral Mines: 50
* Incentive scheme for recycling: 400 kt
* Patents in critical mineral value chain: 1000
* Skill development: 10000
* Mineral Processing Parks: 4
* Centre of Excellence: 3
* Mineral Stockpile (cumulative): 5
* **Rajasthan Exploration and Resources:**
* GSI took up 35 exploration projects (2024-25) and 40 projects (2025-26) for critical and strategic minerals in Rajasthan.
* GSI has estimated 83.591 million tonnes of resources of REEs in Balotra and Sikar districts.
* Atomic Minerals Directorate has established 0.169 million tonnes in-situ rare earth resources in hard rocks of Balotra district.
**Impact Analysis**
**GSI (Geological Survey of India)**
* **Impact:** Increased workload and responsibility for mineral exploration projects.
* **Action Required:** Execute planned exploration projects and refine resource estimates.
**NMEDT (National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust)**
* **Impact:** Expanded scope and increased responsibility for supporting overseas exploration and mining.
* **Action Required:** Manage sanctioned projects for private exploration agencies.
**Private Exploration Agencies (NPEAs)/Notified Exploration Agencies (NEAs)**
* **Impact:** Increased opportunities for exploration projects.
* **Action Required:** Undertake sanctioned exploration projects effectively.
**Ministry of Mines**
* **Impact:** Greater oversight and responsibility for NCMM implementation and international collaborations.
* **Action Required:** Monitor progress, manage international agreements, and meet NCMM targets.
**Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and other Research Institutions**
* **Impact:** Increased involvement in Research & Development activities for the mineral sector.
* **Action Required:** Develop the identified R&D to foster indigenous technologies, and support a self-reliant and resilient critical minerals supply chain.
Key Entities Referenced
National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM): A mission to secure India's critical mineral supply chain and strengthen the critical mineral value chains.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act), 1957: Act amended in 2025 to expand the scope of the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust to support critical mineral exploration and mining overseas.
Ministry of Mines: Government ministry responsible for the National Critical Mineral Mission.
Rajasthan: State where exploration projects were carried out under the NCMM.
National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT): Trust that sanctioned exploration projects and whose scope was expanded via amendment to the MMDR Act.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MINES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 728
ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026
NATIONAL CRITICAL MINERAL MISSION
728. SHRI KRIPANATH MALLAH:
SMT. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:
MS KANGNA RANAUT:
SMT. SHOBHANABEN MAHENDRASINH BARAIYA:
SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:
SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:
SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA:
SHRI ANANTA NAYAK:
SHRI BIBHU PRASAD TARAI:
DR. BHOLA SINGH:
SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:
SHRI TRIVENDRA SINGH RAWAT:
SMT. APARAJITA SARANGI:
SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:
Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the progress achieved under the National Critical Mineral Mission
(NCMM) since its approval, particularly with regard to exploration, auctioning and
processing of critical minerals;
(b) the extent to which domestic value chains for critical minerals have been
strengthened across exploration, beneficiation, recycling and Research and
Development stages;
(c) the details of Centres of Excellence established under NCMM and their role in
technology development and industry collaboration;
(d) the steps taken to reduce import dependence and secure overseas mineral assets
through international cooperation;
(e) the expected outcomes from NCMM during the remaining implementation period
which is expected to be completed by 2030-31;
(f) whether any exploration projects have been carried out in the state of Rajasthan
under the NCMM and if so, the details thereof; and
(g) whether deposits of Rare Earth Elements (REE) have been found in Rajasthan and
if so, the details thereof?ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a) to (d): The Union Cabinet approved the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)
on 29.01.2025 with the objectives of securing India's critical mineral supply chain and
strengthening the critical mineral value chains. The progress made under the
Mission, inter-alia, includes the following:
Geological Survey of India (GSI) has intensified exploration of critical minerals.
GSI carried out 195 critical mineral exploration projects in 2024-25, and took up
230 projects in 2025-26 across the country. In addition, the National Mineral
Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT) sanctioned 62 projects for critical
mineral exploration during 2024–25 and 60 projects during 2025-26 to Notified
Private Exploration Agencies (NPEAs)/Notified Exploration Agencies (NEAs).
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act), 1957
has been amended in 2025 whereby the scope of NMEDT has been expanded
to support critical mineral exploration and mining overseas.
Since the amendment to the MMDR Act in 2023, Central Government has
successfully auctioned 46 blocks of critical and strategic minerals. In addition,
7 blocks have been auctioned under the Exploration Licence regime, out of
which 3 are critical mineral blocks.
The Union Cabinet has approved a ₹1,500 crore Incentive Scheme to promote
critical mineral recycling. The Scheme Guidelines were issued and the Scheme
was launched on 02.10.2025.
Guidelines for funding pilot projects for the recovery of critical minerals from
overburden/ tailings/ fly ash/ red mud, etc were issued on 14.11.2025.
Under NCMM, ₹500 crore has been earmarked to support domestic critical
mineral processing capabilities by developing mineral processing parks using
existing infrastructure.
The Government has recognised nine premier institutes as Centres of
Excellence (CoEs) under the NCMM to carry out Research & Development
(R&D) for strengthening domestic capabilities in the critical mineral value chain.
Each CoE operates as a consortium, on a Hub & Spoke model, to leverage the
core competence of constituent industry and academic spokes. These CoEs
undertake consortium-based R&D to accelerate technological advancement
and R&D capacity in the mining sector, foster the development of indigenous
technologies, and support a self-reliant and resilient critical minerals supply
chain. Details of the CoEs are given below:
i. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
ii. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad
iii. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkeeiv. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad
v. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
vi. CSIR - Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar
vii. CSIR - National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur
viii. Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC),
Hyderabad
ix. Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (CMET), Hyderabad
Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), under Ministry of Mines, has signed an
Exploration and Development Agreement with CAMYEN, a state-owned enterprise of
Catamarca province of Argentina, for exploration and mining of five Lithium Brine
Blocks in Argentina covering an area of 15703 Ha. KABIL regularly holds meeting with
other PSUs (CIL,OIL,OVL,NLCIL etc) to discuss potential opportunities to acquire
critical mineral assets abroad. Further, to strengthen the critical mineral sector and
cooperation with mineral resource rich countries, the Ministry has entered into bilateral
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a number of countries such as Australia,
Argentina, Zambia, Peru, Germany.
(e): NCMM outlines the following outputs/targets:
Key heads Total (FY 2024-25 to 2030-
31)
Domestic Critical Mineral Exploration Projects 1200
Foreign Critical Mineral Mines 50
Incentive scheme for recycling - total materials 400
recycled (kt)
Patents in critical mineral value chain 1000
Skill development 10000
Mineral Processing Parks 4
Centre of Excellence 3
Mineral Stockpile (cumulative) 5
(f): GSI, took up 35 exploration projects for various critical and strategic minerals in
2024-25 and 40 projects in 2025-26 in Rajasthan.
(g): GSI has estimated 83.591 million tonnes of resources of REEs in Balotra and Sikar
districts of Rajasthan. Atomic Minerals Directorate has established 0.169 million
tonnes in-situ rare earth resources in hard rocks of Balotra district, Rajasthan.
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