India's rare earth hunt has a hazardous waste problem

New plan for rare earths is unlikely to carry new safeguards against any environmental fallout

- Manas Pimpalkhare & Ayaan Kartik

As India prepares a scheme to boost rare earth mining and magnet production with fiscal incentives in a bid to reduce import dependence for the crucial industry input, a major worry has surfaced: dealing with toxic waste from its mining and processing.

Officials and industry executives confirm that while the plan for manufacturers, who locally source rare earth oxides and process them into magnets, is being designed to cut import dependence, it is unlikely to carry new safeguards against any environmental fallout. Research shows each tonne of rare earth processed could generate thousands of tonnes of toxic waste.

Miners and processors will need to comply with the existing laws on waste management and pollution, but the scheme may not have additional provisions to curb the toxic waste problem, two officials told Mint.