Page 13 - Moving Forward with a World-class Mineral Policy for National Mineral Security
P. 13
Discussion Paper
Processing Laboratories of the Indian Bureau of Hyderabad, a non-grant R&D institution under the
Mines will need to be strengthened for development Ministry of Mines has done significant lab scale work
of regional level processes for beneficiation and on many materials including base metals. Similarly,
mineral and elemental analysis of ores and ore Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development
dressing products. The issue of promoting process and Design Centre (JNARDDC) has done R&D on
R&D (including beneficiation) needs to be considered high purity aluminium suitable for defence and
in depth. While at one level, the Council of Scientific aerospace applications. There are other agencies
and Industrial Research (CSIR) Labs and IBM can under Department of Science and Technology and
do ‘public good’, process R&D based on regional Defence Research and Development Organization
samples, deposit-specific process R&D needs to be (DRDO) that are conducting similar work on
done by the concessionaire on a commercial basis development of high purity material and special
(though CSIR Labs and IBM can do such work for the alloys. There is clearly a need for an institutional
concessionaire on a job basis). mechanism that comprises of stakeholders interested
in tangible outcomes, to help direct lab scale research
In the intermediate R&D space, where the and then upscale it to pilot project level and enable
feasibility of the deposit is the question, process R&D commercialization.
to conduct feasibility studies constitutes a high-risk,
high-reward situation. IBM or CSIR Labs cannot Conclusion
and should not take up this work and creation of a
venture-capital funded process R&D setup is clearly The world is becoming more closely interconnected
required if the concept of zero-waste mining is to through transportation, communication, and
be taken to its logical conclusion. Fiscal as well as interlinking technologies. This process of globalization
non-fiscal incentives need to be structured after has many implications for the national economy,
a detailed study of how the system works in other some of which are related to demand and supply and
countries such as Australia and Canada especially pricing of resources. As pointed out in TERI’s Policy
Australia’s Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Brief, ‘Critical non-fuel minerals security: Why India
mechanism which supports end-user driven research urgently needs to have a policy in place’ (December
collaboration. In this connection, the likely impact of 2010), “There is an increased tendency of the
granting concessions only through bidding processes, producing nations to control the prices and the
as provided in the MMDR (Amendment) Act, 2015, quantities made available in the world market”.
has to be analysed with reference to the potential for Growth in population and consumption will
facilitation of both beneficiation of low grades, and (as inevitably place greater stress on natural resources
mentioned earlier) co-production of minor metals as and the environment, forcing science and society to
by-products. seek more sustainable responses, and the nation’s
mineral development policy must be able to rise to
For the proper growth of the mineral and metal the challenge.
industry in the service of the nation, research
also needs to be directed towards raw materials The Hoda Committee report elaborately
required for production of materials of high purity envisioned the contours of an enlightened National
for use in advanced technology applications, such as Mineral Policy pointing out the need for technological
semiconductors, electrical storage devices, magnets, impetus, adoption of best practices in tax regimes,
photovoltaics, lasers, special sensors, high temperature mining regulation, community engagement, and
new ceramics, hard and high temperature materials, research and development. The National Mineral
superconductors, insulators, very thin films, glasses and Policy 2008 attempts to address all the major issues
liquid crystals, and metal and mineral fibres. The Non- relating to securing the mineral resources we need
Ferrous Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), as well as ensuring that the process of exploiting
JUNE 2015 13
Processing Laboratories of the Indian Bureau of Hyderabad, a non-grant R&D institution under the
Mines will need to be strengthened for development Ministry of Mines has done significant lab scale work
of regional level processes for beneficiation and on many materials including base metals. Similarly,
mineral and elemental analysis of ores and ore Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development
dressing products. The issue of promoting process and Design Centre (JNARDDC) has done R&D on
R&D (including beneficiation) needs to be considered high purity aluminium suitable for defence and
in depth. While at one level, the Council of Scientific aerospace applications. There are other agencies
and Industrial Research (CSIR) Labs and IBM can under Department of Science and Technology and
do ‘public good’, process R&D based on regional Defence Research and Development Organization
samples, deposit-specific process R&D needs to be (DRDO) that are conducting similar work on
done by the concessionaire on a commercial basis development of high purity material and special
(though CSIR Labs and IBM can do such work for the alloys. There is clearly a need for an institutional
concessionaire on a job basis). mechanism that comprises of stakeholders interested
in tangible outcomes, to help direct lab scale research
In the intermediate R&D space, where the and then upscale it to pilot project level and enable
feasibility of the deposit is the question, process R&D commercialization.
to conduct feasibility studies constitutes a high-risk,
high-reward situation. IBM or CSIR Labs cannot Conclusion
and should not take up this work and creation of a
venture-capital funded process R&D setup is clearly The world is becoming more closely interconnected
required if the concept of zero-waste mining is to through transportation, communication, and
be taken to its logical conclusion. Fiscal as well as interlinking technologies. This process of globalization
non-fiscal incentives need to be structured after has many implications for the national economy,
a detailed study of how the system works in other some of which are related to demand and supply and
countries such as Australia and Canada especially pricing of resources. As pointed out in TERI’s Policy
Australia’s Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Brief, ‘Critical non-fuel minerals security: Why India
mechanism which supports end-user driven research urgently needs to have a policy in place’ (December
collaboration. In this connection, the likely impact of 2010), “There is an increased tendency of the
granting concessions only through bidding processes, producing nations to control the prices and the
as provided in the MMDR (Amendment) Act, 2015, quantities made available in the world market”.
has to be analysed with reference to the potential for Growth in population and consumption will
facilitation of both beneficiation of low grades, and (as inevitably place greater stress on natural resources
mentioned earlier) co-production of minor metals as and the environment, forcing science and society to
by-products. seek more sustainable responses, and the nation’s
mineral development policy must be able to rise to
For the proper growth of the mineral and metal the challenge.
industry in the service of the nation, research
also needs to be directed towards raw materials The Hoda Committee report elaborately
required for production of materials of high purity envisioned the contours of an enlightened National
for use in advanced technology applications, such as Mineral Policy pointing out the need for technological
semiconductors, electrical storage devices, magnets, impetus, adoption of best practices in tax regimes,
photovoltaics, lasers, special sensors, high temperature mining regulation, community engagement, and
new ceramics, hard and high temperature materials, research and development. The National Mineral
superconductors, insulators, very thin films, glasses and Policy 2008 attempts to address all the major issues
liquid crystals, and metal and mineral fibres. The Non- relating to securing the mineral resources we need
Ferrous Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), as well as ensuring that the process of exploiting
JUNE 2015 13
