New Delhi: Coal India Limited (CIL) has announced that it has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (CMDC) to jointly explore and develop critical minerals and other resources of mutual interest.
In a regulatory filing, the state-run miner said, “Coal India Limited (CIL) and Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (CMDC)… have executed a Non-Binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of critical minerals and other minerals of mutual interest.” CMDC is a public sector enterprise under the Chhattisgarh government.
The partnership aligns with CIL’s ongoing diversification drive, under which the company has been expanding its portfolio to include non-coal mineral exploration. This includes recent tie-ups with IREL (India) Limited for developing critical mineral projects and participation in bids for graphite blocks in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements play a vital role in the production of batteries, electric vehicles, and renewable energy technologies—key sectors for India’s clean energy transition and net-zero ambitions. The collaboration with CMDC is expected to strengthen domestic exploration capabilities and reduce India’s reliance on imports, particularly from China.
The government has identified 30 minerals as “critical” and has been encouraging both public and private players to invest in their exploration, processing, and recycling. Through this MoU, Coal India aims to leverage its scale and technical expertise to play a larger role in the nation’s evolving mineral ecosystem.
