IIT (ISM) Dhanbad Named Centre of Excellence Under National Critical Mineral Mission

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New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, has been selected as one of the seven Centres of Excellence (CoEs) under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), launched by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India.

This recognition marks a major step in strengthening India’s capabilities in the exploration, processing, and use of critical minerals vital to clean energy, defence, and strategic technologies.

Partnership with TEXMiN and global collaboration

The recognition was led by IIT(ISM) Dhanbad’s strong partnership with its Technology Translation Research Park, TEXMiN (Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation), which is supported by the Department of Science and Technology. The proposal was developed with support from a wide range of partners, including leading academic institutions, startups, and industry leaders from India and abroad.

The CoE will operate under a Hub-and-Spoke model, connecting institutions and experts across the globe. International academic collaborators include Curtin University (Australia), the University of Cambridge (UK), and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). From India, academic partners such as IIT (BHU) Varanasi and IIT Gandhinagar are involved.

Startups like Novasensa and the UK-based Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) are contributing innovation and technology development. Key industry players such as Hindustan Copper Limited, MOIL Ltd, and MMPL bring in practical field expertise, infrastructure, and co-investment, helping move research from lab to real-world deployment.

Focus on mineral exploration

The centre is focused on AI and ML-based mineral exploration, digitisation of rock core samples, real-time traceability of critical and strategic minerals (CRM), and pilot-scale mineral beneficiation and recycling. These efforts are directly aligned with NCMM’s goals of securing India’s place in the global mineral supply chain and building indigenous capacity across the critical minerals value chain.

TEXMiN will act as the operational and translational backbone of the CoE, ensuring that the research is not only cutting-edge but also implementable at scale.

Boost for strategic self-reliance

This recognition reflects India’s larger strategy to develop its own technological and industrial base for critical minerals. These minerals are key to sectors such as e-mobility, clean energy, electronics, defence, and space. The new CoE at IIT(ISM) Dhanbad is expected to play a major role in shaping the country’s future in this strategic area.