The Ministry of Mines, in collaboration with the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur, successfully conducted a two-day Interactive Workshop-cum-Technical Evaluation Session under the S&T–PRISM 5.0 (Promotion of Research and Innovation in Startups and MSMEs) programme on May 29-30, 2026.
The event brought together startups, MSMEs, industry leaders, researchers, and technical experts working across the critical minerals value chain. The S&T–PRISM Scheme, a key component of the Ministry of Mines’ Science and Technology Programme, supports innovative solutions in critical mineral exploration, extraction, processing, recycling, and value addition.
The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Anupam Agnihotri, Director of JNARDDC, and Sukhdeep Singh, Director at the Ministry of Mines. Addressing participants, Singh highlighted the importance of innovation and technology in achieving self-reliance in critical minerals and noted that the interactive workshop format marked a shift from traditional evaluation methods to a more collaborative and competitive approach.
For the first time under the PRISM scheme, technical evaluation was integrated with innovation challenges, enabling startups and MSMEs to showcase their technologies, receive expert feedback, and engage directly with industry and research institutions. Experts from organizations such as C-MET, DMRL, CSIR-IMMT, CSIR-NGRI, and CSIR-NEERI provided technical guidance and mentorship to participants.
A total of 31 proposals were evaluated and grouped into seven specialized clusters covering areas such as mineral exploration, extraction, refining, recycling, recovery from industrial waste, and development of value-added metals and alloys. This cluster-based framework encouraged focused assessment and meaningful competition among innovators.
The workshop concluded with a Success Stories Session featuring previous PRISM beneficiaries, including Ashvini Rare Earth Pvt. Ltd., PolyProtic Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., CellArk Powertech Pvt. Ltd., and Relira Blastech LLP. Their experiences highlighted how PRISM support accelerated technology development, commercialization, and industry collaboration, inspiring a new generation of innovators in the critical minerals sector.
