HYDERABAD: Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is exploring the extraction of rare earth elements (REEs) from overburden and clays in coal seams at its opencast mines, Chairman and Managing Director Buddhaprakash Jyoti said on Thursday.
The second meeting of the National Critical and Strategic Minerals Committee, constituted by NITI Aayog, was held at Singareni Bhavan under the chairmanship of DK Singh. The committee highlighted the strategic importance of critical minerals for India’s economic growth, clean energy transition and technological advancement.
Jyoti, a member of the panel, said the committee aims to identify and develop domestic critical mineral resources to reduce import dependence. He added that SCCL is also working to recover valuable minerals from fly ash and bottom ash generated at the Singareni Thermal Power Plant, reflecting its focus on sustainable mining.
Members noted that minerals such as lithium, rare earths, cobalt and nickel are vital for renewable energy, electric vehicles and defence sectors, and called for coordinated national efforts to boost exploration.
Separately, representatives of Brazil-based Companhia Brasileira de Litio invited SCCL to partner in lithium mining projects. Singareni officials said they would examine the feasibility before taking a decision.