In a major step towards enhancing India’s indigenous production of key minerals, a collaborative research effort between Monash University and IIT Hyderabad is going to lay out strategy for mineral exploration, processing, and policy-making. The Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub (AICMRH), approved recently by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, will address the gap between research in universities and industry requirements, promoting sustainable management of resources and supply chain security.
The initiative comes at a time when India is working towards lowering reliance on China for key minerals required for EV batteries, renewable energy technologies, and high-value manufacturing.
The collaboration between IIT Hyderabad and Monash University is an extension of a broader geopolitical approach. The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration stressed diversification of global supply chains to minimize risks from single-source dependencies.
The AICMRH aligns with the vision, placing emphasis on sustainable mining practices, technological innovation, and human development. It also converges with India’s National Education Policy and the Australian Researcher Cooperation Hub (ARCH-India), which guarantees long-term academic and industrial collaboration.
Leading this association is Professor Mohan Yellishetty, a sustainable mining and mineral processing expert at Monash University. He points towards the importance for India to create a local critical minerals ecosystem in partnership with Australia to secure medium- and long-term mineral sources. Professor Yellishetty syas although India has immense potential, it requires a structured strategy. “We require a framework that integrates policy, investment, and research. This project is a step towards making India a leader in the global critical minerals sector.
India has the demand but lacks a well-developed critical minerals industry. Australia has the expertise in exploration and processing. This collaboration will enable both countries to develop a robust supply chain and ensure long-term energy security.”
A recent two-day symposium at IIT Hyderabad, organized under the AICMRH, discussed critical mineral exploration, sustainable mining, and technological advancements. Key takeaways from the discussions included:
- Establishing a Centre of Excellence for research and industry partnerships in critical minerals
- Developing joint policies to incentivize mineral processing in India
- Encouraging recycling and sustainability in mineral extraction and usage
- Training a skilled workforce through academic-industry collaborations
The event also saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IIT Hyderabad and Singareni Collieries Company Limited, underlining government support for research in this sector.
A comprehensive report on critical minerals, based on the symposium’s discussions, was presented on February 12-13 to the Union Minister for Mines, Minister for Science and Technology, Australian Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, senior officials from the Indian Ministry of Education and Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and representatives from the Australian High Commission, marking a pivotal step in shaping India-Australia cooperation on critical minerals policy, investment, and technology.
India faces significant hurdles in its quest to develop a self-sustaining critical minerals industry. The limited domestic availability of lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, coupled with challenges in exploration and refining, makes international collaboration vital. The symposium report emphasized the need for India to:
Invest in exploration technologies for discovering new mineral deposits
- Build local refining and processing infrastructure to reduce reliance on imports
- Promote policy alignment between Australia and India for seamless trade and knowledge exchange
- Create an Indo-Pacific Critical Minerals Consortium, bringing together stakeholders from multiple countries
China currently dominates the global rare earth elements market, with an estimated 100,000 professionals working in the sector, while Australia, the US, Canada, and South Africa combined have only 35,000 mining experts across all minerals. The research hub seeks to position India as a key player by integrating advanced mining technologies, automation, and policy reforms.
