Vedanta ramps up search for critical minerals across 6 states amid energy transition push

Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Ltd on Sunday mentioned it’s actively exploring critical mineral sources across six Indian states — Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Chhattisgarh — because it seems to be to strengthen its place within the fast-growing clear energy worth chain.Critical minerals are important for a variety of energy-efficient applied sciences, together with electrical automobiles, wind generators, and fashionable electrical energy grids. With the worldwide energy transition accelerating, demand for these supplies is rising quickly, as reported information company PTI. In an announcement, Vedanta mentioned, “The company is building its critical minerals footprint, exploring copper, nickel, cobalt, chromium, vanadium, tungsten and Platinum Grade Elements (PGEs) across states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Chhattisgarh, supported by India’s policy push for mineral security.”As a part of its efforts, Vedanta Group secured 4 mineral blocks within the fourth spherical of critical mineral auctions. The firm bagged a vanadium and graphite block in Arunachal Pradesh and a cobalt, manganese, and iron (poly-metallic) block in Karnataka. Its subsidiary, Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL), received a tungsten block in Andhra Pradesh and one other in Tamil Nadu.Vedanta can be increasing its value-added product portfolio in zinc and aluminium. The firm has just lately forayed into zinc alloys with a brand new plant having a capability of 30,000 tonnes every year.For aluminium, the board has permitted an funding of round USD 1.5 billion. The funds will go towards smelter growth and enhancing capability for value-added merchandise at its flagship aluminium amenities.Vedanta is without doubt one of the few international gamers that produce 4 of the world’s most generally used metals — iron (for metal), aluminium, copper, and zinc.