Union Minister of Coal & Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy, will formally launch the Sixth Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Minerals and announce the Preferred Bidders of the 07 deep-seated and critical mineral blocks under Tranche I of auction of Exploration Licence at Hyderabad on 16th September 2025.

The Government introduced auction-based Exploration Licences for 29 critical and deep-seated minerals listed in the Seventh Schedule by amending the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. This new EL regime aims to boost exploration of minerals like lithium, copper, silver, diamond, and gold by involving the private sector. The licensees can conduct reconnaissance and prospecting to identify mining prospects, receive a revenue share from the auction premium for 50 years. EL holders will play a crucial role in delineating blocks suitable for subsequent Mining Lease auctions, thereby enhancing potential revenues for State Governments.

Central Government has successfully concluded the auction of 07 deep-seated and critical mineral blocks, launched under Tranche I for the grant of Exploration Licence vide Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) on March 13, 2025, for 13 Exploration Licence blocks. The blocks consist of deep-seated and critical minerals such as Gold, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Rare Earth Elements and Platinum Group of Minerals in 6 states, viz., Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

In order to enhance the availability of Critical and strategic minerals in the country, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 empowered the Central Government to auction Mining Leases and Composite Licences of 24 minerals as Critical and Strategic minerals. The Ministry of Mines has so far concluded five tranches of auctions, covering 55 critical and strategic mineral blocks across multiple States, with 34 blocks successfully auctioned so far. The revenue generated from these auctions shall accrue to the respective State Governments.

Continuing this momentum, Ministry of Mines will be launching the 6th Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Minerals on 16th September 2025, featuring 04 Mineral Blocks for Mining Lease and 19 Mineral Blocks for Composite Licence across multiple States. These blocks comprise a diverse basket of minerals such as REE, Tungsten, Lithium, Tin, Graphite, Vanadium, Titanium, Cobalt, Zirconium, Gallium, Rock Phosphate, Potash, and Rare Metals.

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Shuhaib T/Durgesh Kumar

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