AUGUST 20249CIL TO PURSUE SECURING LITHIUM FROM LOCAL & OVERSEAS VENDORSTRAI LAYS DOWN GUIDELINES FOR R&D IN TERAHERTZ FREQUENCY BANDSCoal India (CIL) announced on Wednesday that it is actively pursuing the acquisition of critical minerals such as lithium, both within India and internationally, as part of its strategy to reduce the country's dependence on imports of these essential resources. Critical minerals, including lithium and cobalt, are key components in the production of clean energy technologies, especially in batteries for electric vehicles.CIL Chairman P M Prasad stated during the company's 50th Annual General Meeting that the company aims to secure these mineral assets to support India's shift towards sustainable energy. Additionally, CIL will continue participating in the e-auction of critical mineral blocks offered by the Ministry of Mines.CIL recently took a significant step into non-coal mining by emerging as the preferred bidder for the Khattali Chotti graphite block in Madhya Pradesh during a tranche-II auction held by the Ministry of Mines on July 9. This marks CIL's first venture into mining non-coal minerals.Prasad emphasized CIL's commitment to ensuring sufficient coal supply for the country while also working towards greater self-reliance in fuel and mineral resources. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed new guidelines to promote research and development in the Terahertz (THz) frequency bands, spanning from 95 GHz to 3 THz. TRAI's recommendations include the establishment of an experimental authorization called the Terahertz Experimental Authorisation (THEA). This would allow operations in these bands for a five-year term at a nominal fee of Rs 1,000, aimed at supporting technology trials and testing by Indian organizations.In addition to THEA, TRAI suggests permitting authorization and assignment-exempt operations in several specific frequency ranges: 116-123 GHz, 174.8-182 GHz, 185-190 GHz, and 244-246 GHz. Another significant recommendation involves opening the 77-81 GHz range for automotive radar systems. This is expected to enhance the development of advanced vehicle safety features and autonomous driving technologies.TRAI's proposal also outlines that any Indian entity--including academic institutions, research labs, government bodies, public sector units, technology parks, telecom providers, and original equipment manufacturers--will be eligible to apply for this authorization. The primary goal of these measures is to facilitate extensive experimentation and evaluation of THz technologies, paving the way for the development of next-generation wireless solutions with improved capacity and reliability. TOP STORIES
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