Critical Minerals
International Relations
- PYQs6
- Articles1
Background
UPSC cares about critical minerals due to their strategic importance for India's economic growth, national security, and its commitment to a clean energy transition. Issues such as supply chain resilience, resource diplomacy, environmental impacts of mining, and technological advancements in exploration and processing are frequently examined.
Critical minerals are essential raw materials for modern technologies, clean energy transitions, and national security, characterized by high supply risk and significant economic importance. Their scarcity, concentrated global supply chains, and demand for advanced industries make them geopolitically significant.
Facts & tables
- Strategic Importance
- Vital for defense, aerospace, digital technologies, and high-tech manufacturing.
- Clean Energy Transition
- Indispensable components for renewable energy technologies (e.g., solar panels, wind turbines) and electric vehicles.
- Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
- Global supply chains are often concentrated in a few countries, leading to potential disruptions and geopolitical leverage.
- International Cooperation
- Nations are increasingly collaborating to secure and diversify critical mineral supply chains.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Resource Security |
| Conceptual area | Economic Development |
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
| Conceptual area | Environmental Sustainability |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO) | Monitors and analyses global critical mineral supply chains, facilitates cooperation |
| Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation (TEXMiN), Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad | Jointly operates gsco |
| University of Cambridge | Jointly operates gsco |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
- Minerals vital for high-tech industries and clean energy technologies.
- Supply chains are often concentrated, creating geopolitical and economic risks.
- India and the U.K. launched the GSCO for improved cooperation and tech-sharing.
- The observatory aims to strengthen critical mineral supply chains and support clean energy transitions.
- Jointly operated by TEXMiN (IIT ISM Dhanbad) and the University of Cambridge.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2019 | Factual recall, Policy measures |
| 2016 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
Timeline
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Resource Security
Conceptual area
-
Economic Development
Conceptual area
-
International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Environmental Sustainability
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2016
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2019
Factual recall, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2023
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
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India, U.K. launch Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory for improved cooperation, tech-sharing
Critical minerals are vital for advanced technologies and clean energy, posing supply chain risks due to concentrated global production. India and the U.K. have launched the Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO) to enhance cooperation, monitor supply chains, and build resilience.
See also
Past papers
2019–2024 · 4 questions
In the news
India, U.K. launch Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory for improved cooperation, tech-sharing
Critical minerals are vital for advanced technologies and clean energy, posing supply chain risks due to concentrated global production. India and the U.K. have launched the Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO) to enhance cooperation, monitor supply chains, and build resilience.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following pairs :
Regions : often Reason for being in news
1. North Kivu and Ituri : War between Armenia and Azerbaijan
2. Nagorno-Karabakh : Insurgency in Mozambique
3. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia : Dispute between Israel and Lebanon
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched ?
None of the pairs (1, 2, or 3) are correctly matched. Let's break it down: 1. North Kivu and Ituri: This region in the Democratic Republic of Congo experiences conflict, but is not related to the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 2. Nagorno-Karabakh: This enclave is disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but the insurgency is happening in Mozambique. 3. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia: These are currently under heavy fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war, not a dispute between Israel and Lebanon.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Recently, Venezuela has achieved a rapid recovery from its economic crisis and succeeded in preventing its people from fleeing/emigrating to other countries.
Statement-II: Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement-I: Incorrect. Venezuela continues to suffer from a severe economic crisis marked by hyperinflation, shortages of basic goods, and political instability. This crisis has led to a massive exodus of Venezuelans seeking better living conditions in neighboring countries and beyond. Statement-II: Correct. Venezuela indeed possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves, surpassing even Saudi Arabia. However, despite this vast resource wealth, economic mismanagement, corruption, and international sanctions have crippled its oil industry and hindered its ability to leverage this asset for economic recovery.
Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries?
* India signed the ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with Russia. * India and Russia have a long-standing strategic partnership in the field of civil nuclear cooperation. * The agreement aims to enhance collaboration in areas such as nuclear fuel cycle management, nuclear power projects, and research in nuclear science and technology. * Russia has been a key partner in India's nuclear energy sector, particularly through Rosatom, which has been involved in building Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu. * Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States have also engaged in nuclear cooperation with India but were not part of this specific agreement.
Which of the following is not a member of ‘Gulf Cooperation Council’?
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, originally (and still colloquially) known as the Gulf Cooperation Council, is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf except Iran. Its member states are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Charter of the Gulf Cooperation Council was signed on 25 May 1981, formally establishing the institution. Hence, option A is the correct answer.
Show 1 more PYQs
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I : Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe.
Statement-II : Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement I is correct. The Sumed Pipeline is indeed a significant route for transporting oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf to Europe. It bypasses the Suez Canal, offering an alternative path for these resources. Statement II is also correct. The Sumed Pipeline physically connects the Red Sea (where oil and gas are loaded onto ships from the Persian Gulf) with the Mediterranean Sea, providing a direct route for them to reach European ports. The connection between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea established by the Sumed Pipeline directly explains its strategic importance for transporting oil and gas to Europe. Statement II provides the geographical context for how Statement I functions.