The Centre on Wednesday launched the eighth tranche of auctions for 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks and outlined plans for a coal exchange, stepping up efforts to improve domestic availability of raw materials required for clean energy, electric mobility, defence and advanced manufacturing.
The latest tranche comprises 13 newly identified mineral blocks and seven blocks offered for auction under a second attempt in accordance with the Mineral (Auction) Rules.
The blocks are spread across nine states: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal. They contain minerals including rare earth elements, graphite, tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, gallium, titanium, manganese, potash, lithium, cesium, rubidium, phosphorite and glauconite.
Geographic Spread
Chhattisgarh accounts for the highest number of blocks at five, followed by Bihar and Odisha with three each. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan have two blocks each, while Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal have one block each.
The ministry said the minerals offered under the tranche are important for clean-energy technologies, electric vehicles, electronics, fertilisers, aerospace and defence. Their development is expected to strengthen mineral security, reduce import dependence and support domestic industrial value chains.
The sale of tender documents began on July 15 and will close on September 14 at 5 pm. The deadline for submission of technical bids and initial price offers is September 21 at 5 pm.
The blocks will be auctioned online through a two-stage ascending forward auction process.
The preferred bidder will be selected on the basis of the highest percentage of the value of mineral dispatched quoted during the auction.
Modernising Energy Markets
Alongside the mineral auction, the government outlined its roadmap for establishing a coal exchange to facilitate transparent, market-based trading of coal and processed coal products. The proposed platform is aimed at strengthening price discovery, improving market efficiency and making coal trading easier.
The event also marked the curtain raiser for India Mining Week, which will showcase mining-sector reforms and the government’s efforts to strengthen mineral security. The platform will bring together representatives of the Centre and states, public sector companies, industry participants, prospective investors and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the curtain raiser, Union coal and mines minister G. Kishan Reddy said successive rounds of critical mineral auctions, supported by policy reforms and the National Critical Mineral Mission, were laying the foundation for a self-reliant and globally competitive mineral ecosystem.
He said the reforms would support India’s clean-energy transition, industrial growth and long-term resource security.
