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Ministry of Mines auctions 10 critical mineral blocks in fifth tranche

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The Ministry of Mines has completed the fifth tranche of auctions, successfully awarding 10 blocks containing critical and strategic minerals across six states. The auctioned blocks include graphite, phosphorite, phosphate, rare earth elements (REE), vanadium, potash, and halite. These are located in Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Coal India Limited (CIL) secured the Oranga-Revatipur block in Chhattisgarh, which holds graphite and vanadium, with the highest final price offer of 189.75 per…

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NLCIL and IREL sign MoU to secure critical minerals and rare earths

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NLC India Limited (NLCIL) and Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the sourcing and development of critical minerals and rare earth elements (REE). The agreement was formalized on May 6, 2025. The partnership will focus on mining, extraction, and refining of key minerals vital to India’s energy security and technological growth. These include materials essential to renewable energy, electric mobility, defence, and electronics sectors. The companies…

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Ministry of Mines announces guidelines for Centres of Excellence under NCMM

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The Ministry of Mines has released detailed guidelines to set up Centres of Excellence (CoEs) under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). The goal is to push forward research and technology development in India’s critical minerals sector. The CoEs will focus on end-to-end research—from extraction and beneficiation to processing. The idea is to move technologies closer to real-world use by supporting higher technology readiness levels and pre-commercial demonstrations. These centres will be chosen from reputed…

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Government cancels auction of 11 critical mineral blocks

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The government has annulled the auction of 11 critical mineral blocks in the fourth round due to a weak response from bidders.  Four blocks, including tungsten and glauconite located in Chhattisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh, attracted no bids, while the remaining seven received fewer than three technically qualified bidders, leading to the cancellation of the auction process for all blocks. This follows a pattern seen in previous rounds, where several critical mineral blocks were also scrapped…

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India signs MoU with IEA for critical minerals cooperation

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The Ministry of Mines has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Energy Agency (IEA) to advance cooperation in critical minerals.  This agreement, recently approved by the Cabinet, will grant India access to IEA’s data, analysis, and policy recommendations, aiding in refining policies, regulations, and investment strategies to align with global standards. The collaboration is expected to enhance India’s technical capabilities and institutional strength in the critical mineral sector, fostering capacity building and…

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India seeks critical minerals agreement with the US to counter China

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India and the US are working together to bolster their critical minerals supply chains, aiming to reduce dependency on China.  As part of this effort, the two countries plan to jointly explore third-country sources for securing critical minerals, with India seeking to transform the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) into a more comprehensive partnership agreement. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal expressed hope that this move could pave the way for a future free trade…