A groundbreaking report titled Recovery of Critical Minerals from Mine Tailings and Overburden, jointly released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Deloitte, has spotlighted India’s untapped potential to secure critical minerals from mining waste.
Launched on at FICCI’s Critical Minerals Matrix conference, the report aligns with the government’s National Critical Minerals Mission, which pledges ₹34,300 crore over seven years to bolster domestic supply chains vital for clean energy, electric vehicles (EVs), and defense sectors.
The report projects a dramatic surge in demand for minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements (REEs), driven by India’s ambitious targets: 500 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, 30 per cent EV adoption, and net-zero emissions by 2070. Rajib Maitra, Partner at Deloitte, highlighted that lithium demand alone could rise nine to tenfold over the next decade. With India currently reliant on imports for these minerals, the study positions mine tailings, overburden, and industrial byproducts such as fly ash and red mud as game-changing secondary sources.
India’s mining waste holds immense promise. The report estimates that chromite overburden in Odisha’s Sukinda Valley could yield materials worth $2.4 billion to $5.4 billion, while copper slag deposits nationwide contain metals valued at around $50 million. Globally, tailings stockpiles (totaling 282 billion tonnes) offer a blueprint, with Canada’s gold mine waste alone valued at $10 billion. In India, efforts are already underway, such as cobalt recovery from smelting residues in Rajasthan and exploration at Karnataka’s Kolar Gold Fields.
The FICCI-Deloitte strategy outlines four pillars: policy reforms, technological innovation, supply chain integration, and capacity building. It calls for Critical Mineral Recovery Zones via public-private partnerships, a national tailings database, and dedicated regulatory frameworks. The report also urges India to emulate nations such as Australia and the U.S., where targeted funds and R&D have spurred similar recovery efforts.
Union Minister of State for Mines and Coal, Satish Chandra Dubey, who unveiled the report, emphasised its alignment with India’s self-reliance goals. “This is about turning waste into wealth while securing our future,” he said, noting that 24 critical mineral blocks have been auctioned since November 2023, with more planned by 2031. However, challenges remain, including low mineral concentrations, technical hurdles such as bioleaching, and the need for advanced processing skills.
As India’s power capacity races toward 900 GW by 2032, with renewables driving half, the report underscores that sustainable mineral recovery could cut import reliance, mitigate supply risks, and support zero-waste mining ambitions. With global demand set to soar sixfold by 2040, this initiative could position India as a key player in the critical minerals race, blending economic growth with environmental stewardship (with inputs from PTI).