Ministry of Mines
Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy Calls for Stronger Recycling, Innovation and Jan Bhagidari for Critical Minerals Security
Posted On:
21 SEP 2026 7:24PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, today inaugurated the National Seminar on “India’s Critical Minerals Recycling Ecosystem and Circular Economy”, organised by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, in collaboration with the Materials Recycling Association of India (MRAI), at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi.
The day-long seminar brought together policymakers, industry leaders, recyclers, experts, researchers, academia and other stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening India’s critical minerals recycling ecosystem and advancing a circular economy.
In his keynote address, Shri G. Kishan Reddy highlighted the strategic importance of critical minerals recycling for India’s clean energy transition, defence preparedness, digital economy and advanced manufacturing. He called for greater collaboration among government, industry, research institutions and startups to promote the recovery of critical minerals from End-of-Life (EOL) products and strengthen domestic recycling capabilities.
The Minister emphasised the need for innovative technologies, entrepreneurship, responsible e-waste management and environmental sustainability. Underscoring the importance of Jan Bhagidari, he urged citizens to view e-waste and EOL products as valuable resources for critical mineral recovery. He also called upon industry, companies and researchers to share ideas and work collectively towards a technology-driven and sustainable recycling ecosystem in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, highlighted the importance of strengthening critical minerals recovery and recycling capabilities to promote resource efficiency and build a circular and self-reliant ecosystem. He stressed the need to take awareness on responsible waste management and e-waste recycling to the grassroots through wider public participation and village-to-village outreach, ensuring that recyclable resources are channelled into the formal recycling ecosystem.
Secretary, Ministry of Mines, Shri Keshav Chandra, underlined the strategic importance of critical minerals for clean energy technologies, advanced manufacturing, electronics, defence and other strategic sectors. He emphasised the need for a robust domestic ecosystem covering exploration, processing, recovery and recycling.
Shri Keshav Chandra noted that e-waste, industrial waste and other EOL materials can serve as important secondary sources for recovering critical minerals, thereby improving resource efficiency, reducing dependence on primary sources and supporting a circular economy. He called for coordinated and time-bound action by stakeholders, with clear responsibilities and defined timelines, to strengthen India’s critical mineral security.
During the seminar, the Union MinisterS also launched the Concept Paper on Critical Mineral Recycling Ecosystem, which outlines a strategic framework for strengthening critical mineral recycling in India, with a focus on resource efficiency, recovery from secondary sources and development of a circular and self-reliant ecosystem.
The seminar featured technical sessions on critical mineral recycling and e-waste collection; lithium-ion battery metal recovery and export of black mass; non-ferrous metals recycling; and the critical minerals and non-ferrous metals recycling landscape. The discussions covered technological advancements, R&D, e-waste collection, recovery of critical minerals from lithium-ion batteries and other EOL materials, black mass processing, and policy measures for strengthening the recycling sector.
The Ministry of Mines is also giving focused attention to responsible e-waste management and recycling as part of its broader efforts towards sustainable resource use. In the context of Special Campaign 6.0 and Swachhata Hi Seva, the Ministry is promoting awareness, responsible disposal and channelisation of e-waste into the formal recycling ecosystem. These efforts complement the Ministry’s broader focus on circular economy, resource efficiency and sustainable management of valuable materials, including critical minerals.
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Prajith Kumar
(Release ID: 2313165)
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