India Finds Rare Earth Elements In Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli Coalfields, Success Amid China's Export Curbs

India has discovered promising reserves of rare earth elements (REE) in the Singrauli coalfields of Madhya Pradesh, Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy informed Parliament on Monday (28 July). These elements, crucial for clean energy, electronics, and electric vehicles, are essential for various industrial sectors, reported The Economic Times.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) is conducting research and development to extract REEs from coal mine waste.

“Results from appraisal of Gondwana Sediments (coal, clay, shale, sandstone) for Trace Elements & REE concentration in the Singrauli coalfield, indicate that REE are ‘promising’ in nature (with an enrichment of 250 ppm on a whole coal basis in coal samples and 400 ppm in non-coal samples),” said Reddy in the Rajya Sabha.

He emphasised that economic extraction of REEs depends on technological advancements and economies of scale. CIL is focusing on indigenous methods to reduce dependency on imports, especially from China, which dominates the global rare earth supply.

In the northeastern coalfields, researchers found that although the total REE concentration is lower, the proportion of heavy REEs is relatively high. Efforts are ongoing to extract critical minerals using physical separation techniques and ion-exchange resin from overlying strata and acid mine drainage.

Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has signed MoUs with premier institutions such as the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar; Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), Hyderabad; and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hyderabad for collaborative research in this field.

India’s dependence on Chinese REE imports has raised concerns, especially as China tightens export restrictions. A State Bank of India (SBI) analysis warned that continued Chinese curbs could adversely affect India’s domestic manufacturing, impact production capacity, reduce export competitiveness, and increase risks for banks exposed to such industries.

Rare earth elements form part of the broader category of critical minerals, indispensable for modern industrial processes. Their unique properties support energy efficiency, miniaturization, and thermal stability in advanced manufacturing.

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