India, Dec. 18 -- Minerals, until recently a mundane subject, have gained widespread public attention. In 2022-2023, several developments drew global attention to minerals now deemed "critical" for their essential role in renewable energy, electronics, high-tech equipment, and defence industries. The simplest explanation for this surge in activity is that our high-tech, digital world, transitioning to low-carbon energy, has been made conscious of its mineral roots. It is increasingly recognised that the transition away from fossil fuels, which provide 80% of the world's primary energy, will create a mineral-dependent global economy. Policymakers planning for net zero emissions (NZE) by mid-century now acknowledge the criticality of minera...