Critical Minerals Initiative Launched by the Quad | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Critical Minerals Initiative Launched by the Quad

Posted 03 Jul 2025

2 min read

The Quad (United States, Japan, India, and Australia) launched the Initiative to strengthen cooperation on priorities such as securing and diversifying reliable supply chains, and electronic waste (e-waste) critical minerals recovery and re-processing

  • The Initiative will expand the Quad’s cooperation on supply chain resilience measures for critical minerals. 

Need for Critical Minerals Initiative

  • Diversifying Supply Chain: : Production and processing of many critical minerals are geographically concentrated, making global supply vulnerable to several risks such as political stability, etc.
    • E.g., Democratic Republic of Congo supplies ~70% of the world's cobalt. 
    • China refines 68% of the world’s cobalt, 65% of nickel, and 60% of lithium. 
  • Economic & National Security: E.g., In 2024, China banned exports of gallium, germanium, and other key materials to the US (weaponising critical mineral exports). 
  • Other: Inadequate recycling infrastructure, etc. 

What are Critical Minerals?

  • About: Critical minerals are naturally occurring elements or compounds including lithium, cobalt, nickel, etc.
    • These are classified as critical due to high demand (diverse applications), supply risks, etc.
      • Applications: Industry (Electric Vehicles, Electronics); Defence (Radars, Missiles); Clean Energy (Battery storage, Solar Modules), etc.

Other initiatives taken to secure Critical Minerals supply

  • India
    • Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023, enables exploration and mining of critical minerals. 
    • National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)
    • National Mineral Policy, 2019
  • International Collaborations & Agreements
    • Minerals Security Partnership (MSP): India joined this US-led initiative in 2023.
    • Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), 2019: A joint venture company of Ministry of Mines to acquire critical minerals globally.
      • E.g., India-Argentina Agreement (2024) for exploration of lithium mines.
  • Tags :
  • Critical Minerals
  • Critical Minerals Initiative
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