|
The Ministry of Mines has launched the ninth tranche of the auction of critical and strategic mineral blocks, putting 20 blocks across eight states on offer, as the government steps up efforts to strengthen domestic mineral availability and encourage private sector participation.
The latest auction follows eight previous tranches in which 100 unique critical and strategic mineral blocks were offered, of which 64 were successfully auctioned, recording a success rate of 64 per cent. The Ministry of Mines, in an official statement, said, "In the previous eight tranches, 100 unique critical and strategic mineral blocks were offered, of which 64 have been successfully auctioned, a success rate of 64 per cent." The 20 blocks offered in the ninth tranche are spread across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal. The minerals on offer include graphite, glauconite, vanadium, gallium, titanium, rare earth elements (REE), bauxite, aluminous laterite, potash, halite and tungsten. Chhattisgarh has the highest number of blocks in this tranche, with five, followed by Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal with three blocks each. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have two blocks each, while Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have one block each. The ministry also shared that the blocks include minerals considered important for sectors such as clean energy technologies, electric mobility, advanced manufacturing, fertilisers, defence, aerospace and electronics. The government aims to strengthen India's mineral security and support the country's energy transition through the auction process. Alongside the critical mineral auction, the Ministry has also launched the third tranche of the auction for grant of Exploration Licences (EL). The exploration licence blocks are located in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Telangana and Gujarat. They include copper, vanadium, rare earth elements, potash and halite, along with associated mineralisation. Exploration Licences were introduced through Section 10BA of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. They allow private companies to participate in the exploration of 29 critical and deep-seated minerals listed in the Seventh Schedule of the Act, even before mining begins. So far, 11 exploration licence blocks have been successfully auctioned in the first two tranches. Earlier, the government has also introduced changes to improve auction outcomes. The Ministry notified the Mineral (Auction) Third Amendment Rules, 2026, on October 16, reducing the minimum number of technically qualified bidders required for the second round of auction for Part D minerals from three to two. The change has been incorporated into the tender documents for both the latest auction rounds. The government has said the reform addresses a key reason why some blocks remained unsold. (ANI)
|
