Environment Ministry Fast-Tracks Atomic and Strategic Mineral Mining, Exempts Public Hearings for Clearances

The upcoming new mining projects of atomic minerals (such as uranium, thorium), critical minerals and strategic minerals (such as rare earth elements) being started in India will not require comments from the general public or public hearings, as they are linked to “national defence, security needs and strategic considerations”, reported Down To Earth.

Maintaining Strategic Minerals & National Security

“The Ministry has decided that in accordance with the provisions of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), 2006 and keeping in view the requirement of national defence, security and strategic considerations, all mining projects involving atomic minerals notified in Part B of the First Schedule of the Minerals and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and critical and strategic minerals notified in Part D are exempted from public hearing,” the MoEFCC said in its new Office Memorandum (OM) dated September 8, 2025.

The Minerals and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 has updated the definition of atomic minerals and important and strategic minerals under the first schedule. Part-B includes uranium and thorium-containing minerals such as monazite, pitchblende, rare earth minerals, phosphorite, ilmenite, rutile, zircon and sillimanite obtained from beach sand, reported Down To Earth.

A committee formed by the Ministry of Mines in November 2022 identified 30 critical minerals with twenty-four important minerals included in Part-D of Schedule I of Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act, 1957 (MMDR Act, 1957). These include lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, gallium, indium, molybdenum, niobium, rare earth (without uranium-thorium), tungsten, tantalum, titanium, vanadium, potash, phosphate, selenium, tellurium, rhenium and platinum group elements as well as minerals like beryllium, cadmium, tin and zirconium.

This inclusion means that the central government now has the exclusive authority to auction mining leases and composite licenses for these specific minerals.

This amendment makes it clear that in view of future energy, defence and technology needs, India is placing these minerals in the category of ‘strategic resources’.

Regarding the exemption of public hearing, the environment ministry argued that “An Office Memorandum (OM) dated March 13, 2025, was issued to consider all mining projects of critical and strategic minerals “out of turn” so that clearances can be given to these proposals quickly. This OM was issued because these critical and strategic minerals are essential for the progress of many sectors of the country, including high-tech electronics, telecommunications, transport and defence. They are also important for India to meet its commitment of ‘net zero’ by 2070.

Fast Track Approvals Caution

According to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report, demand for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt and nickel is set to quadruple by 2040 under clean energy transitions. These minerals are required for manufacturing electric vehicle batteries, renewable energy technologies and energy storage systems.

The IEA report also warned that strategic planning and sustainable mining practices, the rapid scale-up of clean energy technologies could face supply bottlenecks, price volatility and geopolitical risks. India’s fast-tracked approvals must balance strategic urgency with transparent safeguards to avoid ecological damage and social conflicts.