India’s Critical Mineral Mission Gains Momentum: 56 Critical Mineral Blocks and 11 Exploration Licence Blocks Successfully Auctioned

The Ministry of Mines successfully auctioned 10 critical and strategic mineral blocks under the Seventh Tranche conducted by the Central Government, taking the total number of successfully auctioned critical and strategic mineral blocks to 56. This represents a successful auction rate of over 63%, with 56 blocks auctioned out of 88 unique mineral blocks taken up for auction by the Central Government.

The Seventh Tranche marked a significant expansion of India’s critical mineral exploration landscape, with critical mineral blocks auctioned for the first time in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Telangana by the Central Government. The tranche included minerals such as Graphite, Rare Earth Elements (REE), Vanadium, Titanium, Glauconite, Rock Phosphate and associated minerals, further widening the geographical reach of critical mineral exploration in the country.

The Seventh Tranche of auctions was launched through the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) issued on March 23, 2026, offering 19 mineral blocks comprising critical and strategic minerals. The auction was conducted under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015, as amended from time to time.

Alongside critical mineral auctions, the Ministry successfully completed the Second Tranche of Exploration Licence (EL) auctions, further strengthening India’s exploration ecosystem. The second tranche marked the expansion of the Exploration Licence framework to Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha for the first time by the Central Government, opening new opportunities for exploration of critical and deep-seated minerals.

With the successful completion of the second tranche, the cumulative number of Exploration Licence blocks successfully auctioned by the Central Government has reached 11 since the introduction of the EL auction regime. The Exploration Licence framework enables systematic exploration of critical and deep-seated minerals by facilitating participation from private and public sector entities.

The continued success of critical mineral and Exploration Licence auctions reflects the growing confidence of industry stakeholders in India’s mineral sector and highlights the impact of policy reforms undertaken by the Government to promote systematic exploration, attract investment and strengthen domestic mineral supply chains.

These initiatives will accelerate the exploration and development of critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies, electric mobility, renewable energy systems, advanced manufacturing, electronics, defence applications and other strategic sectors of the economy.

The successful completion of these auction tranches reinforces the Government’s commitment towards achieving the objectives of the National Critical Mineral Mission, promoting private sector participation, reducing import dependence and creating a robust pipeline of critical and strategic mineral assets for the nation.

Ministry of Mines expresses its appreciation to all participating bidders, State Governments, technical agencies and other stakeholders for their support and cooperation in making the auction programme a success. The Ministry remains committed to expanding exploration opportunities and building a transparent, efficient and investor-friendly mineral ecosystem in the country.(PIB)