Which of the following statements about Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Critical Minerals is/are correct?
1. Modern technological innovations, including Artificial Intelligence, robotics and space exploration extensively utilise Rare Earth Elements (REEs).
2. China has the highest share in mining of REEs followed by India.
3. The Government of India launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in 2025 to establish a robust framework for self-reliance in the critical mineral sector.
4. Rare Earth Elements are a set of 17 metallic elements.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Question

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only. * Statement 1 is correct: REEs are critical to manufacturing high-performance magnets, microchips, and electronic sensors used in AI, advanced robotics, and space technology. * Statement 2 is incorrect: China holds the dominant share in global REE mining, but countries like the US or Australia rank next, not India. * Statement 3 is correct: India launched the NCMM in 2025 to scale up domestic exploration, regulate recycling, and support overseas asset acquisition to reduce reliance on mineral imports. * Statement 4 is incorrect: There are 17 Rare Earth Elements in total, comprising the 15 elements of the lanthanide series plus scandium and yttrium.

Geography: Economic Geography & Minerals PYQ.

All Geography PYQs + Similar Questions