Hyderabad: In a move towards establishing a sustainable global supply chain for critical minerals, the Union education ministry approved a joint initiative between Monash University and IIT Hyderabad on Saturday. The Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub (AICMRH) aims to enhance research and development in the extraction and processing of critical minerals, focusing on sustainable practices and supply chain analyses, an official press statement said.
The education ministr, in collaboration with the Centre, has formed the empowered committee for industry and international collaborations (ECIIC). Among the 12 themes identified by the ECIIC, critical minerals have been highlighted as a priority, with IIT Hyderabad chosen to spearhead the nation’s efforts in this domain.
The initiative is supported by a proposal from the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC), jointly led by IIT Hyderabad and Monash University. The project, which brings together various Indian and Australian universities, R&D labs, and industries, has recently received MoE approval along with funding of $1.15 million. This initiative is poised to bolster India-Australia collaborations in the field of critical minerals.
