Mines Ministry Launches Concept Paper on Critical Mineral Recycling

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on 21 September 2026 inaugurated a National Seminar on "India's Critical Minerals Recycling Ecosystem and Circular Economy" in New Delhi. It was organised by the Ministry of Mines with the Materials Recycling Association of India (MRAI). At the seminar the Ministers launched a Concept Paper on the Critical Mineral Recycling Ecosystem.

Why critical minerals matter

Critical minerals are minerals that a country needs for its economy and security but whose supply could be at risk. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and the rare earth elements are common examples. They go into electric-vehicle batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, electronics and defence equipment. Mines Secretary Keshav Chandra said a strong domestic chain is needed across exploration, processing, recovery and recycling, so that India depends less on primary sources.

Why recycling

• E-waste and End-of-Life (EOL) products, such as old phones, laptops and batteries, can be secondary sources of critical minerals.
• Recycling improves resource efficiency, reduces import dependence and supports a circular economy, in which materials are reused instead of thrown away.
• The Concept Paper sets out a strategic framework focused on resource efficiency, recovery from secondary sources and a circular, self-reliant ecosystem.

What the Ministers said

• G. Kishan Reddy linked recycling with the clean energy transition, defence preparedness, the digital economy and advanced manufacturing, and asked citizens, in the spirit of Jan Bhagidari, to see e-waste as a valuable resource.
• Minister of State Satish Chandra Dubey called for village-to-village awareness so that recyclable waste reaches the formal recycling system.

Topics at the seminar

Technical sessions covered e-waste collection, metal recovery from lithium-ion batteries and the export of black mass, non-ferrous metals recycling, and the wider recycling landscape. Black mass is the powder left after spent lithium-ion batteries are dismantled and shredded; it holds valuable metals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. The Ministry is also promoting responsible e-waste disposal under Special Campaign 6.0 and Swachhata Hi Seva.