Ministry of Mines Recognized 7 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) under National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM).
National
In August 2025, the Ministry of Mines (MoM) recognized seven premier institutes as Centres of Excellence (CoEs) under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), including four Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and three top Research and Development (R&D) laboratories. The initiative aims to promote critical minerals research and strengthen India's self-reliance in strategic mineral resources.
- The recognition was granted after the approval by the Project Approval and Advisory Committee (PAC), which was co-chaired by V.L. Kantha Rao, Secretary of the Ministry of Mines (MoM), and Professor Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T). The meeting finalized the institutions that will lead innovation in critical minerals exploration and processing.
- The four Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) recognized as CoEs are IIT Bombay (IIT-B), Maharashtra; IIT Hyderabad, Telangana; IIT-Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad, Jharkhand; and IIT Roorkee (IIT-R), Uttarakhand. These institutes were selected based on their research excellence and focus on minerals engineering, extraction technologies, and material sciences.
Main Point :- (i) The three Research and Development (R&D) laboratories designated as CoEs include the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha; CSIR -National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur, Jharkhand; and Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), Hyderabad, Telangana. These labs will focus on high-value material development and non-ferrous extraction innovation.
(ii) These seven Centres of Excellence will initiate transformative research in critical mineral exploration, extraction, recycling, and advanced material development to support India's transition to clean energy and strategic mineral security. The initiative will also focus on enhancing domestic supply chains and technological self-sufficiency.
(iii) The Centres of Excellence under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) will be funded through a public-private model, involving government support, R&D institutions, and industrial stakeholders. These institutions are expected to attract investments, accelerate innovation, and strengthen India's global competitiveness in critical mineral value chains.
About Ministry of Mines (MoM)
Union Minister: Gangapuram (G.) Kishan Reddy
Headquarter: New Delhi
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