# India critical minerals: From rocks to riches > India's critical minerals strategy faces gaps in refining despite resource potential. - Title: India critical minerals: From rocks to riches | Shortify - Summary: India's critical minerals strategy faces gaps in refining despite resource potential. India's critical minerals strategy aims to reduce import dependence but… - Keywords: india, critical minerals, lithium, cobalt, nickel, magnets, semiconductors, renewable energy, semicon 2.0, national critical mineral mission, gsl, critical - Source: The Economic Times — https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/metals-mining/india-critical-minerals-mining-refining-imports-products-ncc-midstream-gap/articleshow/135041625.cms - Author: Shireen Hajra - Published: 2026-10-19T06:33:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: india, critical minerals, lithium, cobalt, nickel, magnets, semiconductors, ev, renewable energy, semicon 2.0, national critical mineral mission, gsl ## China tightens rare-earth exports In April 2025, Chinese exports of rare-earth products disrupted Indian automakers and component manufacturers. > China began tightening exports of certain rare-earth products ## India's critical minerals vulnerability India relies on imports for lithium, cobalt and nickel while 93% of copper ore needs come from overseas. > Ministry of Mines data show that India relied entirely on imports for lithium, cobalt and nickel in FY23 ## China dominates permanent-magnet imports China supplied 60-80% of India's permanent-magnet imports by value and 85-90% by quantity between 2022 and 2025. > A Press Information Bureau (PIB) release said that between 2022 and 2025, China supplied nearly 60-80% of India's permanent-magnet imports by value ## India's critical mineral strategy India's critical-mineral strategy must integrate geological discovery, resource assessment, mining, processing and value-added manufacturing. > Pradeep Singh, Additional Director General, Policy Support System, Geological Survey of India, told ET Online that India’s critical-mineral strategy must be viewed as an integrated effort spanning geological discovery, resource assessment, mining, beneficiation, processing, recycling and value-added manufacturing ## Critical mineral import sources Finland supplied 60% of cobalt oxide imports, Ireland 40% of lithium carbonate, Chile 41% of lithium oxide and 40% of copper ore imports. > Finland supplied nearly 60% of India's cobalt oxide and hydroxide imports in FY25 ## India's critical mineral exploration GSI has identified 482.6 million tonnes of rare-earth ore resources across 34 exploration projects. > The GSI has identified 482.6 million tonnes of rare-earth ore resources across 34 exploration projects ## Beach-sand resources limitation Approximately 482-million-tonne estimate is largely attributable to beach-sand resources and does not establish commercial viability. > Singh cautioned that the approximately 482-million-tonne estimate is largely attributable to beach-sand resources and does not establish how much material is commercially viable ## Deloitte's midstream constraints Deloitte identifies three gaps: lithium production, rare-earth extraction and battery-grade graphite. > Deloitte’s analysis identifies midstream processing, refining and conversion into high-purity materials as one of the binding constraints in India’s critical-mineral value chain ## Lithium production gap India has strong research but little proven large-scale capacity to make battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide. > The first is lithium: India has strong research, but little proven large-scale capacity to make battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide ## Rare-earth extraction gap State-run IREL runs a rare-earth extraction plant in Odisha and a refining unit at Aluva but lacks industrial-scale magnet production. > state-run IREL already runs a rare-earth extraction plant in Odisha and a refining unit at Aluva in Kerala, but the missing link is industrial-scale conversion of separated oxides into metals, alloys and finished magnets ## Graphite production gap Battery-grade graphite needs stricter purity and particle control than mining alone provides. > The third is battery-grade graphite, which he said needs far stricter purity and particle control than mining alone provides ## National Critical Mineral Mission The mission targets 1,200 exploration projects, self-sufficiency in processing five critical minerals, 1,000 patents and four regional processing parks by FY31. > The centrepiece of this effort is the National Critical Mineral Mission. Its targets include 1,200 domestic exploration projects, self-sufficiency in processing at least five critical minerals, 1,000 patents and four regional processing parks by FY31 ## Magnet production push A ₹7,280 crore scheme aims to build 6,000 tonnes a year of integrated magnet capacity with sales-linked incentives. > A ₹7,280 crore scheme approved in November 2025 aims to build 6,000 tonnes a year of integrated magnet capacity, with ₹6,450 crore in sales-linked incentives and a ₹750 crore capital subsidy ## Recycling capacity expansion A ₹1,500 crore scheme aims to build 270 kilotonnes of annual recycling capacity for critical minerals. > A ₹1,500 crore scheme approved in September 2025 aims to build at least 270 kilotonnes of annual recycling capacity, yielding around 40 kilotonnes of critical minerals ## Key takeaway India's critical minerals strategy aims to reduce import dependence but faces midstream processing gaps in magnet, lithium and graphite production.