Cuddalore: In line with the Centre's National Critical Mineral Mission, Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited signed a memorandum of understanding with Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad-TEXMiN at Neyveli on Tuesday to strengthen research and technology development in critical minerals.

The MoU was signed by IS Jasper Rose, Executive Director (Mines and Land), NLCIL, and Prof. Dheeraj Kumar, Deputy Director, IIT-ISM Dhanbad and Director of TEXMiN, in the presence of NLCIL Chairman and Managing Director Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, Dr. DK Singh, Chairman of the NITI Aayog Committee on Critical Minerals, and Dr. Suresh Chandra Suman, Director (Mines), NLCIL.

According to an NLCIL statement, the company has been pursuing exploration and utilisation of critical and strategic minerals from primary and secondary resources. It said NLCIL had secured two critical mineral blocks through auction and was pursuing additional assets in India and abroad.

The statement said NLCIL is also part of the NITI Aayog committee studying recovery of critical minerals from overburden, lignite, coal and mine tailings. It added that the company had undertaken studies on rare earth elements and trace elements from secondary source materials.

"The collaboration with IIT(ISM) TEXMiN will help accelerate research and technological advancements in critical mineral exploration and beneficiation," Motupalli said.