Khanij Bidesh India Limited

About Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL): 

• It is a Joint Venture Company formed with the participation of National Aluminium Company Ltd.(NALCO), Hindustan Copper Ltd.(HCL) and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd. (MECL)in August, 2019.
• Mandate: Target of this company is to identify, acquire, develop, process and make commercial use of strategic minerals in overseas locations for supply in India.
• It is focusing on identifying and sourcing battery minerals like Lithium and Cobalt. 
• The equity participation between NALCO, HCL and MECL is in the ratio of 40:30:30.
• Functions
  • It helps in building partnerships with other mineral rich countries like Australia and those in Africa and South America, where Indian expertise in exploration and mineral processing will be mutually beneficial bringing about new economic opportunities. 
  • The KABIL would carry out identification, acquisition, exploration, development, mining and processing of strategic minerals overseas for commercial use and meeting country’s requirement of these minerals.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Mines

Q1: What are Critical Minerals?

A crirical mineral is when the risk of supply shortage and associated impact on the economy is (relatively) higher than other raw materials. These minerals are essential for economic development and national security, and their lack of availability/ the concentration of extraction/ processing in a few geographical locations could potentially lead to supply chain vulnerabilities.

Source: KABIL inks MoU with CSIR-NGRI for Advancing Geophysical Investigations in Critical and Strategic Minerals Sector