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The Ministry of Mines has issued guidelines for establishing Centres of Excellence under the National Critical Mineral Mission, aiming to promote research and innovation in the extraction and processing of critical minerals vital to clean energy, mobility, defence, and space sectors. The initiative targets the development of end-to-end technologies and aims to advance Technology Readiness Levels to stage seven or eight, enabling pilot and pre-commercial demonstrations. These centres will identify and implement new techniques for mineral beneficiation across multiple sources. Selected academic and R&D institutions will be designated as Centres of Excellence based on eligibility criteria. Each centre will operate under a hub-and-spoke model, partnering with at least two industries and two research or academic bodies to foster collaborative innovation. The government will soon invite proposals from eligible institutions. According to the ministry, these centres will strengthen national capabilities in critical minerals and encourage inter-disciplinary approaches. The Union Cabinet has approved the mission with an outlay of Rs 163 Bn and projected public sector investment of Rs 180 Bn. The initiative is intended to cut reliance on imports, particularly from China, and support the entire value chain from exploration to recovery from end-of-life products. Source: Sakshi Post