Centre to auction 100 more critical mineral blocks
Union Minister of Mines, Pralhad Joshi, announces plans to auction 100 additional critical mineral blocks in the second round, with offshore blocks expected to be part of the auction by April 2024. The move aims to boost the availability of crucial minerals in the country. Already inviting bids for 20 critical mineral-bearing blocks, the government underscores its commitment to expand exploration efforts, citing Geological Survey of India (GSI) reports for 1,000 mineral-bearing blocks in progress. The exploration initiatives have resulted in the identification of resources, including iron ore, manganese, chromite, gold, rare earth elements, nickel, lithium, limestone, bauxite, graphite, and phosphorite.