**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Mines has launched the seventh tranche of e-auctions for critical and strategic mineral blocks to bolster India’s mineral security and support the "Viksit Bharat 2047" vision. This initiative offers 19 mineral blocks across 10 states, targeting resources essential for clean energy and advanced manufacturing. Key deadlines include the final date for tender document purchase on May 18, 2026, and the bid submission deadline on May 25, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Auction Scope and Mineral Distribution**
* The seventh tranche includes 19 blocks distributed across states including Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (3), Odisha (3), Rajasthan (2), Telangana (2), and one block each in Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
* Minerals offered include Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REE), Graphite, Vanadium, Titanium, Tungsten, Glauconite, and Rock Phosphate.
* These minerals are identified as critical for sectors such as fertilizers, strategic applications, and energy transition technologies.
* **Regulatory Reforms and Efficiency**
* The Mineral (Auction) Second Amendment Rules, 2025, have streamlined timelines for post-auction processes, including performance security submission and Letter of Intent issuance.
* The Mineral (Auction) Amendment Rules, 2026, introduced Insurance Surety Bonds as an alternative to bank guarantees to reduce financial barriers for bidders.
* Reforms to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) framework focus on reducing delays and improving the ease of doing business.
* **Auction Mechanism and Procurement**
* The auction uses a transparent, two-stage ascending forward auction process.
* Bidders are selected based on the highest percentage of the value of mineral dispatched quoted.
* Tender documents and auction details are hosted on the MSTC e-commerce platform.
**Impact Analysis**
**Potential Bidders and Mining Companies**
**Impact**
Bidders benefit from increased financial flexibility due to the introduction of Insurance Surety Bonds and simplified bidding procedures. Streamlined post-auction timelines allow for faster operationalization of mineral blocks.
**Action Required**
Interested parties must purchase tender documents by May 18, 2026 (17:00 hrs IST), and submit their bids via the MSTC platform by May 25, 2026 (17:00 hrs IST).
**State Governments**
**Impact**
States including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Rajasthan will see increased mining activity and resource allocation, driven by the principles of cooperative federalism.
**Action Required**
State authorities must facilitate the necessary local compliance and support the operationalization of blocks following the auction process.
**Clean Energy and Advanced Manufacturing Industries**
**Impact**
These sectors will gain improved access to domestic supplies of critical minerals like Lithium and REE, reducing dependency on imports and supporting the national energy transition.
**Action Required**
Stakeholders should monitor auction outcomes to align their long-term supply chain and manufacturing strategies with domestic mineral availability.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Mines: The central government body responsible for the administration of laws and rules related to mines and the launch of the mineral block auctions.
Seventh Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Minerals: The specific e-auction initiative for mineral blocks including Lithium, REE, and Graphite to strengthen India’s mineral security and energy transition.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) framework: The primary legal and regulatory framework governing the mining sector, recently reformed to improve the ease of doing business.
Mineral (Auction) Amendment Rules (2025 & 2026): Key legislative amendments that streamlined post-auction processes and introduced Insurance Surety Bonds as an alternative to bank guarantees.
Viksit Bharat 2047: The national vision for a developed India by 2047, which provides the strategic context for securing critical mineral resources.
Ministry of Mines
Critical Minerals are playing a vital role in
achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision
of Viksit Bharat 2047: Union Minister G Kishan
Reddy
Ministry of Mines Launches the Seventh Tranche of Auction
of Critical and Strategic Minerals
Posted On: 23 MAR 2026 6:56PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, today launched the 7th tranche of e-auction of critical and strategic mineral
blocks, marking another significant step towards strengthening India’s mineral security and accelerating the development of the
mining sector.
Addressing the event, the Minister underscored the strategic importance of critical minerals in driving
India’s growth in clean energy, advanced technologies, and manufacturing.
Highlighting the Government’s reform initiatives, Shri Reddy noted that the transparent and technology-
driven e-auction mechanism has revolutionized the allocation of mineral resources in the country.
The Minister also pointed to recent reforms in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation)
framework, which have simplified procedures, reduced delays, and improved ease of doing business. He
highlighted measures such as the introduction of Insurance Surety Bonds, aimed at facilitating
participation and reducing financial barriers for bidders.Secretary , Ministry of Mines Shri Piyush Goyal in his address, emphasized the importance of cooperative
federalism in the success of mineral auctions.
Details of blocks put up for auction:
State-wise Distribution of Auction Blocks
State Number of Blocks Minerals
Arunachal Pradesh 1 Vanadium & Graphite
Bihar 4 Glauconite, Vanadium bearing
Magnetite-Ilmenite
Chhattisgarh 3 Glauconitic Sandstone, Graphite
Gujarat 1 Glauconite
Karnataka 1 REE & Yttrium
Madhya Pradesh 1 Titanium, Vanadium &
Aluminous Laterite
Odisha 3 Graphite
Rajasthan 2 REE; Tungsten, Lithium &
Associated Minerals
Telangana 2 Vanadium, Titanium &
Aluminous Laterite
Uttarakhand 1 Rock Phosphate
The blocks on offer include a diverse set of minerals such as Rare Earth Elements (REE), Tungsten,
Lithium, Graphite, Vanadium, Titanium, Glauconite, and Rock Phosphate, which are critical for sectors
including clean energy technologies, advanced manufacturing, fertilizers, and strategic applications,
thereby strengthening India’s mineral security and supporting the country’s energy transition.
The auction framework has also been strengthened through recent policy reforms. The Mineral (Auction)
Second Amendment Rules, 2025 have streamlined timelines for post-auction processes such as submission
of performance security, upfront payment, and issuance of the Letter of Intent, while introducing
provisions to ensure timely compliance by stakeholders, thereby enabling faster operationalisation of
auctioned blocks. Further, the Mineral (Auction) Amendment Rules, 2026 have introduced the Insurance
Surety Bond as an alternative to bank guarantees, providing greater flexibility to bidders.The sale of tender documents has commenced from Monday, March 30, 2026. The last date for purchase of Tender Document
is Monday, May 18, 2026 (by 17:00 hrs IST), and the last date for submission of the bid is Monday, May 25, 2026 (by 17:00 hrs
IST).
The auction shall be conducted online through a transparent two-stage ascending forward auction process,
with the eligible bidder selected on the basis of the highest percentage of the value of mineral despatched
quoted by them. Detailed information on blocks, auction terms, and timelines can be accessed on the
MSTC auction platform at: https://www.mstcecommerce.com/auctionhome/mlcln/
****
Prajith Kumar
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