Govt to Unveil Critical Minerals Stockpiling Policy in About a Month: Mines Secretary

New Delhi, Oct 10 (KNN) The government is expected to announce its policy on stockpiling critical minerals in about a month to support strategic sectors such as defence, advanced electronics and aerospace, Mines Secretary Keshav Chandra said on Friday.

"We are on the verge of finalising the policy on stockpiling of critical minerals which will be announced in about a month's time," Chandra told reporters on the sidelines of the India Mines and Minerals Conclave 2026, organised by industry body Assocham, PTI reported.

The proposed policy aims to ensure the availability of critical minerals for industries that depend on these materials for manufacturing and technological development.

Four Critical Minerals Processing Parks Planned

The government is also working to establish four dedicated critical minerals processing parks in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to accelerate domestic value addition, particularly for key battery materials, the official said.

The government has identified more than 30 critical minerals, taking into account the requirements of sectors including defence, agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications.

Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential for clean energy technologies, including wind turbines, electricity networks, electric vehicles and battery manufacturing.

The proposed stockpiling policy and processing parks are expected to support domestic mineral processing capabilities and strengthen supply security for industries reliant on these materials.

(KNN Bureau)