“India's talks with Zambia over critical minerals mining have stalled amid a lack of assurances from Lusaka on mining rights,” two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
India last year received an allocation of 9,000 square km (3,474.92 square miles) to explore cobalt — a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and mobile phones — as well as copper, widely used in power generation, electronics and construction.
India dispatched a team of geologists last year, who have since returned with samples of minerals, including cobalt and copper.
Macabre dispute keeps body of Zambia's former President Edgar Lungu unburied for months
The exploration programme in Zambia was set to run for three years, after which New Delhi had planned to invite private sector companies to participate, subject to securing mining rights. It was not immediately clear why Zambia was withholding assurances for mining rights.
