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India is inviting private sector participation to explore its vast thorium and monazite reserves, aiming to reduce dependency on foreign critical minerals. With approximately 850,000 tonnes of thorium and 11.93 million tonnes of monazite, the initiative is part of the National Critical Mineral Mission, which seeks to enhance self-reliance in mineral production, including a planned increase in neodymium output by FY27. The exploration will be regulated under the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, which currently restricts licenses to public sector entities.