SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 27: TEXMIN, the Centre for Technology in Mining at IIT ISM Dhanbad, has received official recognition as part of the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India. The mission was launched in Hyderabad by Gangapuram Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal & Mines.
This recognition officially designates IIT ISM Dhanbad as one of the seven Centres of Excellence (CoEs) responsible for spearheading cutting-edge research, technology translation, and innovation across India’s critical minerals sector.
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Event Highlights and Collaborative Discussions
Shakil Alam, Economic Adviser, Ministry of Mines, and Dr. Ashish Saxena, Deputy Secretary, addressed the function. Representatives from institutions and organizations such as Curtin University, University of Cambridge, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, IIT Gandhinagar, Hindustan Copper Limited, MMPL Pvt. Ltd., and Novasensa participated in discussions emphasizing collaborative innovation, translational research, and resilient supply chains.
These discussions highlighted the strategic importance of critical minerals for sectors including clean energy, electronics, e-mobility, defence, and space technology.
TEXMIN’s Role and Strategic Vision
Prof. Sukumar Mishra, Director of IIT ISM and Chairman of TEXMIN, described the recognition as a “landmark moment” for the institute and the Centre. He said the acknowledgment strengthens TEXMIN’s mandate to lead transformative research and translational initiatives that will position India as a global leader in critical minerals.
“Through close collaboration with national and international partners, we aim to address the entire value chain, from exploration and processing to traceability and recycling, ensuring India achieves strategic self-reliance in this vital sector,” he added.
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Focus on Cutting-Edge Technologies
The Deputy Director of IIT ISM and Project Director of TEXMIN said the Centre is honoured to serve as the translational backbone of this CoE. TEXMIN will focus on high-impact, “moonshot” projects that integrate advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, robotics, blockchain, and digital twins with practical applications in mineral exploration.
“By enabling real-time traceability of critical minerals and establishing pilot-scale solutions, we aim to strengthen India’s supply chains and reduce dependency on imports,” he added.
