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It said the CoE will collaborate with industry partners through IISc FSID to transform research into scalable industrial solutions.
The mission aims to enhance India’s self-reliance in critical minerals required for clean energy, defense and advanced technology sectors. (file photo)
The Ministry of Mines, Government of India has designated the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru as one of the Centers of Excellence (CoE) under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM). With a budget of Rs 16,300 crore, the mission aims to enhance India’s self-reliance in critical minerals required for clean energy, defense and advanced technology sectors.
An official press release said the CoE will develop an integrated critical minerals research and development facility covering the entire value chain from exploration and extraction to processing and recycling.
It aims to build modular pilot-scale plants using indigenous processes and equipment technologies to reduce import dependence and promote sustainable development. The CoE also plans to collaborate with industry partners through IISc’s Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID) to transform research into scalable industrial solutions.
Speaking on the recognition, Omprakash Subbarao, CEO, FSID Core at IISc, said, “We are delighted that IISc has been recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Ministry of Mines under the National Critical Mineral Mission. This milestone is a decisive step towards building India’s indigenous capabilities across the critical-mineral value chain from exploration to processing and recycling. By catalyzing industry-academia partnerships and deploying pilot-scale innovations at IISc, Our goal is to strengthen our strategic autonomy, support the energy transition, and enable advanced-technology ecosystem, we will help translate research into action and enhance India’s role on the global critical-mineral stage.”
To support India’s green hydrogen and fuel cell mission, the institute also plans to recycle platinum group elements (PGE) from spent auto catalysts, aiming for recovery efficiency up to 90% through high-throughput systems integrated with PGE separation and purification technologies, the institute said.
IISc Bengaluru aims to reduce the dependence on imported tungsten carbide by developing a direct carbide recycling route, allowing end-of-life carbide tools to be reused with minimal energy input. In parallel, the institute is partnering with industry to recover rare-earth oxides from mineral-processing residues, creating circular value chains in critical materials.
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October 31, 2025, 8:00 PM IST
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