Govt to Auction 20 Strategic Mineral Blocks in 8th Tranche to Boost Domestic Supply Chain

New Delhi, Jul 15 (KNN) The Ministry of Mines on Wednesday launched the eighth tranche of auctions for 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks as part of efforts to boost domestic availability of minerals essential for clean energy, advanced manufacturing and strategic industries.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy launched the auction in New Delhi in the presence of Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey and senior ministry officials.

The eighth tranche comprises 20 mineral blocks across nine states, including 13 newly identified blocks and seven being re-auctioned. The blocks contain minerals such as lithium, rare earth elements (REE), graphite, tungsten, titanium, vanadium, gallium, molybdenum, phosphorite, potash, cesium, rubidium and glauconite.

According to the Ministry, 56 of the 88 critical and strategic mineral blocks offered across the first seven auction rounds have been successfully auctioned. During FY 2025-26, a record 212 mineral blocks, including 22 critical and strategic mineral blocks, were auctioned under the mineral auction regime.

The Ministry also recently amended the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2026 to streamline the auction process.

The changes include revised timelines for upfront payments, greater flexibility in executing mining lease and prospecting licence deeds, and provisions for timely refunds of bid and performance securities where auctions are annulled for reasons not attributable to the preferred bidder.

(KNN Bureau)