Rama Krishna Sangem
IIT Hyderabad (IITH) is hosting the Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub (AICMRH)’s two-day Workshop on 03rd & 04th January, 2025 co-organized by Monash University, to advance research and innovation in critical minerals. The event will focus on developing methodologies for mineral exploration, extraction, and recycling, with a strong emphasis on sustainable practices.
Key objectives of the Symposium and workshop include: • Formulating strategies for sustainable critical mineral development. • Drafting action plans for funding major projects. • Strengthening institutional partnerships to drive global impact, said a press release.
Prof. B.S. Murty, Director, IITH and Prof. Mohan Yellishetty, Monash University, Australia & CoFounder of Critical Minerals Consortium and AICMRH, are the Conveners of the Workshop along with Prof. M. Narasimha, Department of Chemical Engineering and Dr. Ashok Kamaraj, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, IITH as the Co-Conveners.
The event will provide a platform to chalk out the future course of action in the critical mineral sector between our two countries and also for the world. Prof. Mohan Yellishetty, Monash University said “The AICMRH is built on the principles of collaboration, value, and complementarity, this Symposium and Workshop will assemble leading experts from industry, academia and governments in critical minerals assessment, economic geology, extraction, processing and separation, mining sustainability, and supply chain analyses.”
The program will feature plenary talks by world-leading experts, along with keynote and invited talks on day one. Guest speakers will talk on day two, followed by workshops to build on the ideas discussed, aiming to create a roadmap for research priorities between Australia and India.
Prof. B.S. Murty, Director, IITH said, “The Workshop has received an exceptional response across both countries’ critical minerals ecosystems, with proposed participation from government agencies, industries and academia. The AICMRH provides an exciting opportunity for India and Australia to work together to expand its increasingly important mineral resources partnership.
This strategic partnership as a synergy embodies a concerted effort to drive impactful advancements in the critical minerals domain, fostering innovation and knowledge exchange on an international scale,”
Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub (AICMRH):
The Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub (AICMRH) was established through an MoU between IIT Hyderabad and Monash University, witnessed by Hon. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, India, and Hon. Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education, Australia. The Hub is dedicated to addressing global challenges in critical minerals research and promoting sustainable mining innovations.
The Ministry of Education has approved $1.1 million as the first instalment in a $5 million funding plan under the SPARC Scheme to support AICMRH’s activities, including HDR scholarships, research fellowships, and collaborative visits for Australian scholars to India.
The AICMRH is an alignment with India’s National Education Policy (NEP-2020) and the Australian Researcher Cooperation Hub (ARCH-India) of the Australian Government Department of Education on promoting research collaborations. The AICMRH aims to develop pioneering technologies for a competitive and environmentally sustainable future, playing a vital role in supporting the objectives outlined in India’s NEP-2020 and the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.
There are plans to expand into the Indo-Pacific region by including researchers from other countries in the region. AICMRH aims to unite leading academicians, researchers, and industry leaders from Australia and India to collaborate on joint projects focused on the exploration, extraction, processing, and recycling of critical minerals. By harnessing the collective expertise of professionals from academia, research, and industry, the Hub will drive transformative advancements in the critical minerals sector, fostering international collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange.
