Telangana: Singareni keen to partner with US companies in critical minerals sector
Hyderabad, Nov 6 (TNT) : The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has expressed its willingness to partner with US companies in the critical minerals sector and explore opportunities for technological collaboration, research and investment.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting between a US Consulate General delegation, led by Political and Economic Chief Meredith Metzler, and SCCL Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Buddhaprakash Jyoti at Singareni Bhavan here on Friday.
During the discussions, the CMD explained that the company, drawing on its extensive mining experience, had entered the critical minerals sector and was exploring joint ventures and technological collaborations with several countries, the state-owned mining company said in a release.
The US delegation expressed interest in collaborating with American companies in the sector and sought details about SCCL’s recently established Geoscience Laboratory at Kothagudem and the possibility of extracting Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from the overburden of opencast mines.
The delegation also invited SCCL to participate in a Critical Minerals Conference scheduled to be held in the United States in April next year.
Discussions also covered opportunities for setting up data centres in Telangana in view of the growing demand driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The US representatives said uninterrupted power supply and adequate water availability were essential for such facilities.
SCCL officials explained that the company had proposed pumped storage power plants at several locations using its worked-out opencast mines.
These projects could ensure reliable power supply to data centres, particularly during peak hours. Water could also be sourced from the nearby Godavari river, they said.
The US delegation observed that several American companies had already established data centres in Telangana, while others were exploring investment opportunities in the State.
The SCCL CMD said the company was seeking foreign investments and partnerships with technology and research institutions to strengthen its presence in the critical minerals sector.
He invited the delegation to visit Singareni mines and the Geoscience Laboratory to understand the company’s operations and facilities.
The meeting was attended by US Consulate officials Srimali Kari, Shibha Tripathi and Sunil Kumar, along with SCCL Director (Projects and Planning) K Venkateswarlu and senior officials from marketing, business development, exploration and power projects departments.
TNT TS
