Jharkhand seeks research partnership with Imperial College London

Jharkhand is seeking a long-term research partnership with Imperial College London as part of its international engagement on critical minerals, advanced research and clean energy technologies.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren visited the Royal School of Mines at Imperial College London and toured key laboratories where faculty members and researchers showcased work in mineral processing, advanced materials and nuclear-linked research.

Experts including Professor Stephen Neethling, Professor Mark Wenman, Professor Mark Sephton, Professor Mukesh Kumar of Cambridge University and Dr Surya Kumar Singh briefed the delegation on research related to mineral beneficiation, materials science, nuclear engineering and advanced sensing technologies.

Laboratory demonstrations highlighted modern techniques in mineral characterisation, processing optimisation, modelling and imaging, showing how early-stage research can be translated into industrial-scale applications.

Discussions focused on how these technologies could help resource-rich states like Jharkhand move beyond raw mineral extraction towards value addition and stronger participation in the critical minerals value chain.

Addressing the gathering, Hemant Soren said Jharkhand was working towards building a research and development-driven industrial ecosystem aligned with a just and future-oriented development approach. He emphasised the importance of global academic partnerships to support sustainable mining practices, clean energy transition and industrial decarbonisation.

Faculty members explained Imperial College London’s interdisciplinary model, which integrates earth sciences, materials engineering, computational modelling and policy studies to address complex challenges in mining and clean energy.

The visit also included discussions on establishing a Centre of Excellence in Jharkhand in the field of critical minerals and mining sciences to strengthen technical capacity and skill development.

Officials said the engagement reaffirmed Jharkhand’s intention to pursue long-term collaboration with leading international institutions in areas such as research exchange, technology development and institutional capacity-building.

The visit is being seen as an important step towards positioning Jharkhand as an emerging hub for critical minerals, advanced manufacturing and sustainable industrial growth.