No public consultations for mining of critical and atomic minerals: Govt

Key Highlights:

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has exempted mining projects of atomic, critical, and strategic minerals from public consultations.
• This exemption is based on national defence and security requirements and strategic considerations, following requests from the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
• Projects will still undergo a comprehensive appraisal by sectoral expert appraisal committees at the central level, regardless of project size.
• The Ministry of Mines has a separate category for critical minerals on the Parivesh portal to expedite clearances.

Detailed Insights:

• The decision aligns with amendments to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, which allows exemptions for projects related to national defence, security, and strategic considerations.
• The Ministry of Defence emphasized the importance of rare earth elements in defence applications, citing supply risks and the need for steady domestic supply.
• The DAE highlighted the necessity of enhancing the production of minerals like thorium and uranium for the atomic energy programme, seeking exemption from public consultation .
• There are 24 critical minerals listed in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, including Lithium, Nickel, and Graphite, and the government has auctioned 34 critical and strategic mineral blocks.
• The government has approved the National Critical Mineral Mission with an expenditure of ₹16,300 crore from 2024-25 to 2030-31.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Environment Impact Assessment (EIA): A process to evaluate the environmental impacts of a project.
• Critical Minerals: Minerals essential for economic growth and national security.
• Public Consultation: A legal process to address concerns of affected communities regarding projects.