IISc named Centre of Excellence under National Critical Minerals Mission

Bengaluru, Oct 31 (PTI) The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has been recognised as one of the Centres of Excellence (CoE) under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), the Union Ministry of Mines said on Friday.

The mission—launched with a budget of Rs 16,300 crore—aims to strengthen India’s self-reliance in critical minerals essential for clean energy, defence, and advanced technology sectors, IISc said in a statement.

The newly established CoE at IISc will set up an Integrated Critical Minerals Research and Development Facility, covering the entire value chain—from exploration and extraction to processing and recycling.

The centre will also design modular pilot-scale plants using indigenous processes and equipment technologies to reduce import dependence and promote sustainable growth.

It will collaborate with industry partners through IISc’s Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID) to translate research into scalable industrial solutions.

"IISc will pioneer a greener lithium-ion battery recycling process, offering a sustainable alternative to the conventional black-mass route currently exported due to inefficient recovery systems," the institute said.

"To support India’s Green Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Mission, the Institute will also recycle platinum group elements (PGEs) from spent auto catalysts, targeting up to 90 per cent recovery efficiency through high-throughput systems integrated with PGE separation and purification technologies," it added.

Omprakash Subbarao, CEO, FSID CORE at IISc, said, "We are delighted that IISc has been recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Ministry of Mines under the National Critical Minerals Mission. This milestone marks a decisive step toward building India’s indigenous capabilities in the critical mineral value chain—from exploration to processing and recycling." IISc added that it aims to reduce dependence on imported tungsten carbide by developing a direct carbide recycling route, enabling 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 tailings, establishing circular value chains in critical materials, it said. PTI GMS SSK