About National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)
- Its aim is to ensure a secure and self-reliant supply of critical minerals, from exploration and mining to processing and recycling.
- It was announced in the 2024–25 Union Budget, approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2025, and led by the Ministry of Mines.
- The duration is 7 years — FY 2024-25 to FY 2030-31.
- A total funding of ₹34,300 crore — ₹16,300 crore from the government and ₹18,000 crore expected from PSUs and other stakeholders.
Core Pillars
- Increasing domestic critical minerals production with acquisition of critical mineral assets abroad
- Recycling of critical minerals
- Scientific research and technological advancement with Human resource development
- Funding, financing and fiscal incentives
Exploration & Auctions
- Targets: Explore 1,000 mineral blocks and auction 500 blocks under the critical mineral framework within the mission’s 7-year window.
- Survey Capacity: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) carried out 195 critical mineral exploration projects in FS 2024-25, with 230 slated for FS 2025-26.
- Auction Progress: Under the MMDR Amendment Act, 2023, the Centre had auctioned 46 critical and strategic mineral blocks as of February 2026.
- Offshore Minerals: Covers deep-sea mining of polymetallic nodules within India’s EEZ, rich in cobalt, copper, nickel and manganese.
R&D and Centres of Excellence
- Hub & Spoke Model: Nine institutes designated Centres of Excellence (CoEs), pooling academics, public research labs and at least two industry partners each.
- Institutes: IIT Bombay, IIT Hyderabad, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, IIT Roorkee, CSIR–IMMT Bhubaneswar, CSIR–NML Jamshedpur, NFTDC Hyderabad, IISc Bengaluru and C-MET Hyderabad.
- Raising Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) to pilot/pre-commercial scale (TRL 7/8) in beneficiation, extraction and recycling.
- Patent Target: Filing of 1,000 patents across the critical minerals value chain by FY 2030-31.
Recycling, Processing & Overseas Acquisition
- Recycling: A ₹1,500 crore scheme aims to recycle 270 KT minerals/year, produce 40 KT, attract ₹8,000 crore investment and create 70,000 jobs, meeting 15–20% of demand by 2035; ₹100 crore will support recovery from mine waste, red mud and fly ash.
- Processing: PLI and subsidies will support battery-mineral processing, with ₹500 crore for mineral processing parks.
- Overseas Supply & Reserves: Through KABIL, India acquired 5 lithium blocks in Argentina and signed agreements with Australia; strategic reserves of selected minerals will cover 90 days of use.
Conclusion
The NCMM integrates onshore and offshore exploration, R&D through CoEs, recycling-led circularity, processing infrastructure and overseas resource diplomacy into a single framework. It is India’s principal mechanism to secure critical mineral supply for high-tech manufacturing, defence and its net-zero target of 2070.
| This concept has been elaborately discussed in the following article — Centre Curbs States’ Power to Tax Minerals |