Can battery scrap secure India's rare earth future?

Critical mineral security gains significance amid geopolitical uncertainties and trade wars

- Manas Pimpalkhare [e-mail]

China's export ban on rare earth magnets in April 2025 disrupted manufacturing supply chains globally.

(AP)

The parliamentary standing committee on coal, mines and steel has recommended the promotion of so-called ‘urban mines’—the recovery of minerals from waste streams such as used batteries and discarded electronics—as part of its recommendations on mineral and metal self-reliance made on 17 December.

The push comes as battery recycling gathers pace, with companies starting to recover critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements from secondary sources.

This strategy is expected to supplement the government's efforts to localise the production of rare earth magnets, a key input for sectors ranging from defence and electronics to renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Mint unpacks the committee's recommendations and India’s ambitions for rare earth magnets.

Critical mineral security gains significance amid geopolitical uncertainties and trade wars as nations leverage their resources to disrupt supply chains.