Govt launches India’s first-ever auction of Exploration Licences for critical minerals

The licences are for the exploration blocks for minerals like REE (rare earth elements), zinc, diamond, copper and PGE (platinum group minerals)

Panaji: Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Thursday launched nation’s first-ever auction of Exploration Licences (ELs) for 13 exploration blocks for critical minerals.

Reddy launched the ELs in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in Dona Paula near here, a major reform aimed to unlock India’s untapped critical and deep-seated mineral resources.

The licences are for the exploration blocks for minerals like REE (rare earth elements), zinc, diamond, copper, PGE (platinum group minerals) and others.

The programme also featured a roadshow on the 5th Tranche of Critical Mineral Blocks and the launch of AI Hackathon 2025, a Mineral Exploration Hackathon focused on “Mineral Targeting using AI” (Artificial Intelligence).

Addressing the gathering, Reddy said in the last 10 years, India’s mining sector has achieved many milestones and emerged as one of the fastest and most dynamic sectors of the country.

Today marks another milestone in the industry, he said. “We are laying the foundation for new era in mineral exploration,” he said, adding that the era is faster, more technologically-driven and globally competitive.

We have established ourselves as a serious player in the global mineral landscape, it has also opened flood gates of opportunities for the private sector,” he said.

He said even greater milestones will be achieved in the coming years and it will pave the way for the rise of India as a global leader. “Today we are launching 13 blocks for various critical and deep-seated minerals,” the Minister said.

The exploration possibilities have been contemplated from multiple States like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Karnataka, he said.

The exploration access would be granted exclusively, which would empower private companies to explore up to 1,000 square metres per licence, Reddy said.

This new framework will encourage transparency, efficiency, innovation, ensuring that only the most promising areas remain for a detailed exploration, he said.

“In the first 10 years (of Narendra Modi government), we increased the exploration activities manifold. The biggest reform is the introduction of a transparent auction regime and the involvement of private sector,” Reddy said.

The Minister said India’s legal framework for mining exploration was limited until now. “There was a crucial gap. There was no structural mechanism for the private companies. Recognising this, the Government of India introduced amendment to the MMDR Act in 2023. This is a reform that will open doors for a systematic exploration of minerals,” he said.

Chief Minister Sawant said there is a need to increase the pace of exploration in the country. The amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act is a bold step which will help to tap the untapped mineral wealth of the country, he said.