News: India looks to advance into Mongolia to secure coking coal and critical minerals like copper and rare earth elements.
Steps taken by India
Joint working groups have been established with the Mongolian embassy to explore collaboration with Mongolia. However, the evacuation of minerals remains a concern. India is unwilling to route through China and is exploring alternative routes through Russia.
About Critical minerals
- Critical minerals are essential elements crucial for modern technologies, vulnerable to supply chain disruptions due to limited availability and geographical concentration of extraction and processing.
- These minerals, such as Cadmium, Cobalt, Gallium, Indium, Selenium, and Vanadium, play integral roles in clean technologies like zero-emission vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels, as well as in advanced manufacturing for defense applications, semiconductors, and ceramics.
- Additionally, minerals like Beryllium, Titanium, Tungsten, and Tantalum are crucial for new technologies, electronics, and defense equipment.
- Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) find applications in medical devices, cancer treatment drugs, and dental materials.
- Each country identifies its own list of critical minerals based on specific needs, with India prioritizing 30 minerals, including Nickel, Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REE), and Phosphorous, among others, crucial for national development and security.
Wait | You should Know these: