R. Chandra Mouli
At times, a major setback or a shortfall gets glossed over in the din of geopolitics.
Most news outlets focus on ceasefire updates, and columnists predict the outcome of the next round of negotiations in the West Asia crisis. However, shortages in critical minerals and metals, self-inflicted or orchestrated, do not get the attention they deserve.
A portal in a distant land made a commendable attempt by publishing a report on the laudable efforts… of the Government of India to identify cobalt and copper resources in overseas mining blocks, aimed at overcoming the domestic shortfall.
‘Business Insider Africa’ says India’s negotiations with Zambia are currently stalled, a planned three-year exploration program remains uncertain, and “the setback comes as India intensifies global efforts to secure critical mineral supplies amid rising import dependence.”
Which brings us to the reasons for India’s reliance on imports:
Is it the absence of mineral deposits in our country?
Is it access to technology for exploration, mining and processing?
Or is it due to a misconception that most projects concerning minerals and metals will damage the environment?
An Old Captivity
For answers, let’s take a leaf from literature and the characters we encounter between the pages.
Nevil Shute, known for his novels set in England and Australia, has been an inspiration to writers and a delight to readers for over 75 years. ‘An Old Captivity’ follows the journey of a seaplane pilot and two explorers, with the conclusion revealing a mystical connection between the protagonists and two characters named Haki and Hekja in the Viking Age. The story ends in Greenland, when the discovery of a link between past and present frees the pilot… from an old captivity.
The world of mining and manufacturing has its share of plans and projects being held captive. Lack of political will to pass new laws, delays in the amendment of existing regulations, protests that halt the commencement of exploration in an awarded mining lease, misconceptions that cloud the reopening of a closed plant, long-drawn-out hearings in courts, and repeated appeals to tribunals are metaphors for captives languishing in a state of limbo.
Understanding the Captive
By design, the company held captive is a do-gooder with the power to transform a community, create new jobs, and restore livelihoods. When freed, the captive can contribute to nation-building by increasing self-sufficiency in minerals, strengthening national security by reducing dependence on imported weapons, and making green energy more affordable by ensuring the availability of critical metals from domestic sources.
In some instances, the captive may be labelled as a lost cause and relegated to history. If you want proof, look at manufacturing plants shut long ago which have turned into case studies, projects shelved and turned into a subject of public debate, and lastly an outcome not many observe or recognize – migration by semi-skilled workforce to other parts of the country (worthwhile checking the correlation between States with the highest levels of migration and abundance of mineral resources).
Industries impacted the most
Impacted industries include alumina, copper ore and rare earths extraction. Currently, the paucity in the end product in all three categories – aluminium, refined copper, and rare earth metals – is compensated by imports.
Business Insider Africa cites the closure of a copper smelter in India in the year 2018 as an example. The shutdown changed our status from a net exporter to an importer of the critical metal. Not being rocket science, these causal factors must be clear to policymakers, administrators, and the Nation’s leadership.
If the Government of India and State Governments were to revisit archives and turn back pages sector-wise, three questions will come up:
How many projects have been halted at the blueprint stage, midway, or after commissioning?
How many crores that Corporate India had budgeted as funding for greenfield and brownfield ventures remains a book entry for want of clearances?
Further to opportunity loss, what has been the socio-economic impact on the community?
Activists must bear in mind that technology has taken a quantum leap, emissions are better controlled today than before, and welfare of the workforce is a top priority for the project owner.
The questions raised cannot ignore the shortcomings observed in some industrial projects. Just as there is no smoke without fire, there have been flagrant violations of prescribed norms. Manufacturing units flagged on this count must be monitored to ensure they develop green practices that promote sustainability.
Time to introspect
On the positive side, well-meaning organizations in the public and private sectors continue to focus on community development. Look closely, and you will find implementation of CSR initiatives such as self-help groups, healthcare, scholarships for education, and skill development in and around many project areas.
It is time to introspect and make allegations and misconceptions a matter of the past. Protests should be replaced by peaceful rallies and community interaction. Doubts can be cleared through knowledge dissemination, and deep-rooted distrust must give way to amity.
With the right deployment of resources, a Nation well on its way to rank among the world’s top economies can reach the goal faster. Such a transformation needs a catalyst. Here’s one well within our power: Just as in the novel by Nevil Shute, unshackle an old captivity.
(R. Chandra Mouli is a communications strategist based in Mumbai. He writes on sustainability, green energy, minerals and metals. Views expressed are his own)