Context:

• The article explores the rising significance of critical minerals in shaping global geopolitics, economic strategies, climate action, and technological advancement.
• It draws historical parallels with earlier ages named after metals and emphasizes the urgent need for India to explore and secure its own mineral resources to support economic and strategic goals in the 21st century.

Historical Evolution of Metal Use in Civilisation - From the Chalcolithic to the Critical Minerals Age:

• Around 7,000 years ago, the human transition from Neolithic to Chalcolithic age marked the beginning of metal usage.
• Subsequent epochs: Bronze age and Iron age defined by increasing metal use.
• 19th-20th centuries: Coal and oil drove the first and second Industrial Revolutions
• 21st century: Defined as the critical minerals age, due to the central role of rare minerals in modern technology.

Strategic Importance of Critical Minerals in Global Politics:

• Geopolitical drivers:
  • US foreign policy under Donald Trump prioritized control over mineral-rich regions like Canada, Greenland, and Ukraine.
  • China wields influence via rare earth mineral dominance, using it as a geoeconomic weapon in trade conflicts.
• Domestic policy shifts in the US:
  • Vast federal lands opened for mineral exploration.
  • Fast-track clearance mechanisms introduced (reduction in approvals time from one year to less than a month).

Climate Change and the Technological Shift:

• Climate-driven demand:
  • Green technologies (EVs, solar, wind) are highly mineral-intensive.
  • EVs use six times more minerals than conventional vehicles.
  • Offshore wind plants consume nine times more minerals than fossil fuel plants.
• 4th Industrial Revolution technologies: AI, robotics, big data, digital infrastructure require minerals like -
  • Copper (for conductivity and data centres).
  • Lithium, cobalt, nickel (for batteries).

Supply Chain Concentration and Strategic Risks:

• High dependency and geographic concentration:
  • Cobalt – mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • Nickel – Indonesia controls ~50% of global mining.
  • Rare earths – China has a 66% share in mining, over 90% in processing.
  • Lithium – dominated by Australia, Chile, and China.
• Processing bottlenecks:
  • China dominates processing of copper, aluminium, rare earths, and other critical minerals.
  • This monopoly can halt global industries, especially EV and clean energy sectors.

India’s Position and Strategic Imperatives:

• India’s challenges
  • Under-exploration of mineral reserves.
  • Dependence on imports for key minerals.
  • Lack of domestic processing infrastructure.
• Strategic solutions:
  • Emulate US-style fast-track policies for exploration and processing.
  • Prioritize domestic exploration to ensure self-reliance in manufacturing.
  • Leverage India’s geological wealth for mineral independence and industrial competitiveness.

Conclusion:

• The 21st century is unequivocally the age of critical minerals, which lie at the intersection of climate change, geopolitics, and technology.
• For India to emerge as a manufacturing and strategic power, securing a reliable and indigenous supply of these minerals is not optional but essential.