Rare Earths Rise: SCCL Taps Coal Waste for Critical Minerals

In a significant step for India’s critical minerals sector, SCCL has partnered with the CSIR–IMMT to explore and extract rare earth minerals from coal mining waste. Materials like shale, fly ash, bottom ash, and overburden—typically overlooked—will now be assessed for their potential to yield high-value elements.

SCCL Chairman N. Balram described the collaboration as a milestone in the company’s efforts to contribute to India’s mineral self-sufficiency. IMMT Director Ramanuj Narayan underscored the role of homegrown extraction technologies in the project. Early studies have already identified rare earth elements, including lanthanum, cerium, and dysprosium, in SCCL’s opencast mining zones, aligning the initiative with the country’s goal of reducing import dependence.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.