Singrauli coalfields show promising reserves of rare earth elements: Coal Minister

Promising reserves of rare earth elements have been found in the Singrauli coalfields of Madhya Pradesh, Parliament was informed on Monday.

Rare earth elements (REE) are a group of metallic elements, like scandium and yttrium, that are used in modern technologies such as clean energy, electronics, electric vehicles, and various other industrial applications. 

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said that Coal India Ltd (CIL) has undertaken research and development projects related to REE found in 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)," the minister said.

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However, economic extraction of REEs is subject to technical advancement and economies of scale.

Results from the assessment of REE and other economic resources from the North Eastern Region Coalfield indicate that total REE is low, but heavy REE contents are relatively high, he explained.

The development of indigenous technology for the extraction of critical minerals, including REE, from overlying strata of northeastern coalfields has been undertaken with an objective to develop an enrichment technique of critical metals from non-coal strata by physical separations and an extraction technique of critical metals from non-coal strata and acid mine drainage by ion-exchange Resin.

"The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has signed MoUs with the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar; the Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), Hyderabad; and IIT, Hyderabad for research in this field," the minister explained.