Launch of Critical Mineral Stockpile Programme
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
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BEFORE: India lacked a physical national reserve to buffer against immediate geopolitical supply shocks in critical minerals. NOW: The NCMS programme mandates the creation of a two-month strategic stockpile of rare-earth elements to ensure uninterrupted downstream manufacturing.
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BEFORE: Commercial extraction from India's vast monazite sand deposits was heavily bottlenecked by state monopolies due to the radioactive thorium and uranium content. NOW: The stockpile policy actively encourages private sector participation to scale up the processing and commercialization of these restricted reserves.
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BEFORE: Strategic mineral policy largely focused on upstream exploration by entities like the Geological Survey of India and overseas acquisitions by KABIL. NOW: The government is directly intervening in midstream supply chain resilience by holding physical inventory.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
With Reference ToWith reference to India's critical mineral reserves and the National Critical Mineral Stockpile programme, consider the following statements: 1. India's primary source of rare earth elements is monazite, which is predominantly found in coastal beach sands. 2. Monazite mining is subject to strict state control because it contains radioactive elements like thorium. 3. The Ministry of Mines' official 2023 critical minerals list identified exactly 10 minerals essential for national security and economic growth. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?