G. Kishan Reddy Launches Critical Minerals Innovation Hackathon 2026 to Back the National Critical Mineral Mission

28 August 2026National

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy launched the Critical Minerals Innovation Hackathon 2026 (CMiH 2026), organised by the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Mines. It carries two problem statements: mineral prospectivity mapping from open-source data to locate lithium and rare earth element pegmatite zones, and a web-based smart technology and patent tracker. Ideas may be submitted until 20 September 2026, with winners announced at India Mining Week 2026 (15-17 November). Each problem statement carries a first prize of Rs 1.50 lakh and a second prize of Rs 1 lakh.

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The National Critical Mineral Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2025 with a government outlay of Rs 16,300 crore and about Rs 18,000 crore of expected PSU investment | JNARDDC, Nagpur was set up as an Indo-Japanese collaboration and works on aluminium and critical minerals research | India's critical mineral list of 30 minerals was released by the Ministry of Mines in 2023

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