Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Elements

Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are critical components for manufacturing high-performance permanent magnets, semiconductor chips, and specialized electronics used in robotics, space systems, and AI hardware infrastructure (1). To secure domestic supply chains for green technology and advanced electronics, the Government of India formally approved the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in 2025 (3). Statement 2 is incorrect because while China dominates global REE mining, it is followed by nations like the United States, Australia, and Myanmar, with India holding a much smaller share of active production. Statement 4 is incorrect because the Rare Earth Elements group comprises a set of 17 distinct metallic elements (the 15 lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium).