Magazine : 
Australia-India Partnership for Sustainable Green Mineral Development
A collaborative effort between Monash University and IIT Hyderabad aims to transform the global supply chain of critical minerals with innovative research and sustainable methods. According to a university news release, the newly formed Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub (AICMRH) will unite top researchers to create sustainable strategies for extracting and processing critical minerals.
Approved by India’s Ministry of Education (MoE), the AICMRH will provide expertise in critical minerals extraction, economic geology, sustainable mining practices, and supply chain analysis. This initiative is a part of the broader efforts by the MoE and the Government of India, directed by the Empowered Committee for Industry and International Collaborations (ECIIC), to prioritize critical minerals as one of its 12 strategic themes.
A Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC) proposal, spearheaded by IIT Hyderabad and Monash University, has united various Indian and Australian universities, R&D labs, and industries in the critical minerals sector. Recently sanctioned by the MoE with $1.15 million in funding, this collaboration is poised to strengthen India-Australia partnerships in this crucial field.
“This is a fantastic achievement that will greatly enhance collaborative research across India and Australia in a number of critically important areas”, said Professor Craig Jeffrey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Senior Vice-President at Monash University. “The AICMRH will serve as a pivotal platform for advancing collaborative research activities”, he added.
The collaboration aims to develop skills and talent to advance sustainable resource management, in line with the G20’s commitment to diversifying supply chains for energy transitions. Key areas of focus include carbon capture, storage, and utilization, coal preparation and upgrading, and reducing fugitive emissions from coal mining.
Professor BS Murty from IIT Hyderabad underscored the strategic significance of the partnership saying, “The AICMRH provides an exciting opportunity for India and Australia to work together to expand its increasingly important mineral resources partnership”. He continued, “This strategic partnership embodies a concerted effort to drive impactful advancements in the critical minerals’ domain, fostering innovation and knowledge exchange on an international scale”.
The AICMRH is in line with India’s National Education Policy and the Australian Researcher Cooperation Hub (ARCH-India) of the Australian Government Department of Education. It also supports the objectives of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, aiming to develop innovative technologies for a competitive and environmentally sustainable future. Future plans include extending the hub’s influence into the Indo-Pacific region by engaging researchers from other countries.
Read More News :
IT Ministry, MEA Ink MoU for eMigrate Services via Common Service Centres
Razorpay POS Unveils 'Q-Zap' for Swift Checkouts, Queue-Free Experience
