India Aims to Lead in Sustainable Critical Minerals Production: Hindustan Zinc Chairperson
India is on a mission to become the world's leading and most sustainable producer of critical minerals, according to Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson of Vedanta group firm Hindustan Zinc. Speaking at the Bank of America Securities Global Metals, Mining, and Steel Conference 2024 in Miami, Hebbar highlighted the crucial role of minerals such as cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, and rare earths in the production of clean energy technologies, including wind turbines and electric cars.
The demand for critical minerals is particularly high for the production of batteries for electric vehicles. Hebbar emphasized the mining and metals sector's essential contribution to achieving global net-zero goals. "We take our role as champions of India's natural resources very seriously and we are well positioned to capitalize on this economic growth", Hebbar, who is also a Vedanta Director, stated.
Hebbar stressed that the transition to net-zero goals globally will be mineral-intensive and meeting this demand will be challenging. The mining and metals sector, she noted, holds the key to unlocking the future.
In line with this vision, Hindustan Zinc recently announced its plans to enter strategic mineral exploration through the formation of a subsidiary, Hindmetal Exploration Services Pvt Ltd. This move underscores the company's commitment to expanding its footprint in the critical minerals sector and supporting India's ambitious sustainability goals.
The pursuit of sustainable critical mineral production is expected to position India at the forefront of the global clean energy transition, driving economic growth and supporting the global shift towards net-zero emissions.
