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New Exemption for Mining Projects

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in India has announced an exemption for mining projects related to atomic, critical, and strategic minerals from the requirement of public consultations. This decision, justified by the need for national defense and security, was detailed in an office memorandum released on Monday.

Despite this exemption, the ministry emphasized that these projects will still undergo a thorough evaluation by specialized committees at the Union government level, irrespective of their scale.

Typically, the Environment Impact Assessment Notification mandates that developmental and industrial projects be assessed for their environmental, health, and community impacts, which includes public consultations where local residents can voice their concerns.

This exemption follows requests from both the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Atomic Energy, highlighting the urgent need for rare earth elements essential for various technologies, including radars and communication systems, which are currently in limited supply within India.

These minerals are predominantly sourced from a few countries, creating a significant supply risk for India, thus necessitating a reliable domestic supply.

This move is part of the government's broader initiative to expedite the development of critical and strategic mineral projects.

Earlier this year, the environment ministry established a distinct clearance category for critical minerals on its online portal, aimed at streamlining the approval process at the request of the Ministry of Mines.

Additionally, amendments to the 2023 Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Rules were made to facilitate forest approvals for these types of projects, while the 2023 Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Amendment Act expanded the official list of atomic, critical, and strategic minerals to encourage their exploration and extraction in India.