Sixth tranche of public sale for essential and strategic minerals to be launched on Tuesday

The sixth tranche of public sale for essential and strategic minerals can be launched on Tuesday (September 16, 2025), the Ministry of Mines knowledgeable on Monday (September 15, 2025) night. The newest spherical would function 4 mineral blocks the place full-fledged mining operations might be undertaken, alongside 19 blocks with a license-cum-mining lease can be granted to prospect the mines and thereafter begin mining. Stationed throughout “a number of States”, the Ministry knowledgeable the mines home a number of minerals together with rare-earths, tungsten, lithium, cobalt, gallium, potash and gallium, amongst others. 

Striving to extend the supply of essential and strategic minerals within the nation, the federal government amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act in 2023. It launched an auction-based regime to provision exploratory licenses for 29 essential and deep-seated minerals, together with lithium, copper, silver, diamond and gold by involving the personal sector. The regime for the primary time granted exploratory licences for entry to mines, with the target of delineating blocks bearing mining prospects, which could possibly be auctioned later at a premium. The (erstwhile) licensees obtain a income share from the premium for 50 years.  

Thirty-four blocks have been auctioned until date spanning throughout 5 tranches of auctions, encompassing 55 essential and strategic mineral blocks, and throughout a number of States. The whole income generated from the public sale accrue to the respective State governments.  

Exploration of essential minerals and uncommon earths have emerged as a coverage crucial for New Delhi in gentle of the worldwide headwinds triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff regime and China’s retaliation blocking export of essential minerals. The Paris-headquartered International Energy Association (IEA) had assessed of their Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025, that the tariff-induced uncertainty carved a “difficult surroundings for traders, doubtlessly deterring some essential mineral provide initiatives, together with for minerals like copper and lithium which medium-term provide deficits”.  

IEA had additionally made a word of India possessing “main untapped useful resource potential”. Imperative to recall, the Union Cabinet September 3 had permitted a ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme to develop recycling capability within the nation for the separation and manufacturing of essential minerals from secondary sources.  

Other than graduation of the following tranche, the Ministry would additionally announce the profitable bidders of the primary tranche of auctions for exploratory license. Launched in March this 12 months, the public sale of seven deep-seated and demanding mineral blocks, of the whole 13 exploration blocks put to public sale, would additionally conclude on Tuesday. The mines span throughout six States, specifically, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.