Way2mining
Ariyalur District
Tamilnadu.
Imagine Arjun, who runs a small scrap shop in Jharkhand. To most, his piles of e-waste and dead phones look like junk. But hidden inside are critical minerals—lithium from batteries, cobalt from phones, and rare earths from old gadgets.
Now, the government has launched a ₹1,500 crore scheme to help businesses like Arjun’s. The idea is simple: instead of importing expensive minerals, let’s recycle and recover them right here.
Who’s in charge?
The Ministry of Mines is leading, with support from state governments and regulators. The scheme encourages private players to set up modern recycling plants, so that waste is no longer dumped but processed for metals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and even rare earths.
Here’s how the subsidy structure works:
Capex Subsidy (Capital Expenditure): 20% of the cost of new machinery, plants, or utilities reimbursed—if production begins on time. Delay means smaller benefits.
Opex Subsidy (Operational Expenditure): Based on sales beyond a baseline year. 40% of eligible Opex is reimbursed in Year 2, and the remaining 60% in Year 5—only if sales targets are met.
Caps on Subsidies: Large recyclers can claim up to ₹50 crore; smaller firms and startups up to ₹25 crore. Opex subsidy itself is capped at ₹10 crore (large) and ₹5 crore (small).
Why now? Because India’s clean energy future—EV batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels—needs these minerals. At present, most are imported. Recycling lowers dependence on China and others.
The scheme targets:
270 kilotons/year recycling capacity
40 kilotons of recovered critical minerals
₹8,000 crore private investment
70,000 jobs created
In short, your junk phone could power the next EV, and a scrapped car might help build a wind turbine. This ₹1,500 crore push is more than waste management—it’s about mineral security for India’s future.
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