Recent studies have revealed that coal-derived fly ash and bottom ash from Singareni Thermal Power Plant (STPP), along with overburden clay samples, contain rare earth elements (REEs) averaging about 400 ppm. In contrast, fly ash from NLC India’s Neyveli thermal power plants shows significantly higher REE concentrations at 2,100 mg/kg, including 300 mg/kg of Yttrium—spanning both light and heavy REEs.
National Mission to Recover Critical Minerals
To harness these critical elements, the government of India launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) on 29 January 2025. The mission, scheduled for 2024–25 to 2030–31, has earmarked ₹100 crore for pilot projects. These aim to recover critical minerals from industrial waste such as fly ash, overburden, tailings, and red mud.
Establishing Centres of Excellence
In April, the government approved guidelines for establishing a Centre of Excellence (CoE) under the NCMM. These centres will spearhead research, technology development, and scaling up of REE extraction from industrial waste streams.
Research and Technology Development in Progress
Coal India Limited (CIL) is conducting R&D projects to assess REE presence in key coalfield regions, including the North Eastern Region and Singrauli. It has reported concentrations of 250 ppm in coal and 400 ppm in non-coal materials. As reported by projectstoday.com, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) signed MoUs with IMMT Bhubaneswar, NFTDC Hyderabad, and IIT Hyderabad. These collaborations aim to develop economic and scalable extraction technologies.
