Baryte: A Critical Mineral for India's Future

A policy thinktank recommends classifying baryte as a critical mineral, emphasizing its role in strategic industries and energy security. With reserves depleting, India's baryte output is crucial for oil, gas, and other industries, demanding measures for conservation and R&D investment to secure future needs.

In a bid to safeguard India's long-term energy security, a policy thinktank has called for baryte to be designated as a critical mineral. This recommendation underscores the mineral's extensive applications in oil and gas exploration, defense, and other strategic sectors.

Identifying baryte as a critical mineral under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) could lead to inclusion in national stockpiling programs and promote targeted research and development investments. This move would also empower government-imposed conservation and export-control measures, according to the Centre for Domestic Economy Policy Research's report.

The report critically highlights that India stands on the brink of exhausting its primary baryte reserve, with over 95% of it concentrated in the Mangampet mine. As reserves dwindle, India's energy security is at risk, urging immediate action to regulate baryte extraction and establish a strategic reserve.

(With inputs from agencies.)