**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Mines has issued the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules, 2026, to refine the classification and definition of specific minerals. Effective from its publication date of July 3, 2026, the amendment introduces a technical standard for high purity Quartz and updates mineral categorization within Schedules I and II of the 2015 Rules.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**New Mineral Definition**
* **High Purity Quartz:** Formally defined as Quartz containing $SiO_2$ levels exceeding 99.99% with total impurities remaining below 50 ppm.
**Amendments to Schedule-I (Type of Deposits)**
* **Gem-stones Category:** Revised to distinguish between standard gem-stones (Beryl, topaz, etc.) and Quartz, Felspar, and Mica found in veins/pegmatites that are not associated with specific regulated minerals or high purity Quartz.
* **Rare Metal and Rare Earth Elements (REE):** Updated to include Quartz, Felspar, and Mica in veins/pegmatites when they are associated with high purity Quartz or minerals specified in Part D of the First Schedule or the Seventh Schedule of the Act.
**Amendments to Schedule-II**
* **New Entry for Common Minerals:** A new entry (Serial No. 2) is inserted for Quartz, Felspar, and Mica found in pockets, lenses, veins, and pegmatites, provided they are not associated with high purity Quartz or minerals listed in Part D of the First Schedule or the Seventh Schedule.
**Impact Analysis**
**Mining Leaseholders and Applicants**
**Impact**
Entities involved in the extraction or exploration of Quartz, Felspar, and Mica must now differentiate their deposits based on specific purity levels and mineral associations.
**Action Required**
Update mineral prospecting and assessment reports to reflect the new technical definition of "high purity Quartz" and ensure deposits are categorized according to the revised Schedule classifications.
**Regulatory and Mining Authorities**
**Impact**
Government bodies gain a clearer legal framework for the classification of industrial minerals versus high-value or rare-earth-associated minerals.
**Action Required**
Incorporate the amended definitions and Schedule structures into mineral content verification, licensing processes, and statutory inspections.
Key Entities Referenced
Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules, 2026: The primary policy document introduced to amend existing rules regarding the evidence and classification of mineral contents, specifically defining high purity quartz.
Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015: The principal rules being amended, which establish the regulatory standards for proving mineral existence and grade in mining areas.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957: The parent legislation that empowers the Central Government to frame rules for the development and regulation of mines and minerals in India.
Ministry of Mines: The primary government department responsible for the administration of mining laws and the issuance of these amendment rules.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-07072026-274211
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असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (i)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 509] नई दिल्ली, िुक्रिार, िुलाई 3, 2026/आर्ाढ 12, 1948
No. 509] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2026/ASHADHA 12, 1948
खान मत्रं ालय
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 3 िुलाई, 2026
सा.का.जन. 567(अ).— केन्द्रीय सरकार, खान और खजनि (जिकास और जिजनयमन) अजधजनयम, 1957 (1957
का 67) की धारा 13 द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करत े हुए, खान (खजनि अतं िवस्ट्त ु का साक्ष्य) जनयम, 2015 का और
संिोधन करने के जलए जनम्नजलजखत जनयम बनाती ह,ै अर्ावत् :—
1. संजिप्त नाम और प्रारम्भ.— (1) इन जनयमों का संजिप्त नाम खान (खजनि अंतिवस्ट्त ु का साक्ष्य) संिोधन जनयम, 2026
ह।ै
(2) ये जनयम रािपत्र म ेंउनके प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रिृत्त होंगे।
2. खान (खजनि अंतिवस्ट्तु का साक्ष्य) जनयम, 2015 (जिसे इसमें इसके पश्चात उि जनयम कहा गया ह)ै के जनयम 3 म,ें खंड
(घ) के पश्चात जनम्नजलजखत खंड अंतःस्ट्र्ाजपत दकया िाएगा, अर्ावत् :—
“(घक) ‘उच्च िुद्धता क्वार्टिव’ से ऐसा क्वार्टिव अजभप्रेत ह ै जिसमें SiO₂ की मात्रा 99.99 प्रजतित स े अजधक हो तर्ा कुल
अिुजद्धयााँ 50 पीपीएम से कम हों;”।
3. उि जनयम की, अनुसूची-1 के भाग-3 की, सारणी में “भंडार के प्रकार तर्ा प्रमुख खजनि” िीर्वक िाल े स्ट्तम्भ के
अधीन,—
5030 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
(i) “III. रत्न : बेररल, पुखराि, पन्ना जनिेप, हीरा, काबोनेटाइट म ें फ्लओु राइट की पॉकेट/लेंस/िेंस आदि;” अिरों और िब्िों
के स्ट्र्ान पर जनम्नजलजखत अिर, कोष्ठक और िब्ि रखे दकए िाएंग,े अर्ावत् :—
“III. (क) रत्न: बेररल, पुखराि, पन्ना जनिेप, हीरा, काबोनेटाइट में फ्लओु राइट की पॉकेट/लेंस/ िेंस आदि;
(ख) िेंस और पेग्माटाइर्टस में पाए िाने िाले क्वार्टि,व फेल्स्ट्पार और अभ्रक, िो अजधजनयम की प्रर्म अनुसूची के भाग घ म ें
जिजनर्दिष्ट खजनिों अर्िा अजधजनयम की सप्तम अनुसूची के खजनिों अर्िा उच्च िुद्धता क्वार्टिव से संबद्ध नहीं ह;ैं ”।
(ii) “IIIक. पग्े माटाइर्टस , रीफ्स तर्ा िसें /पाइपों म ें पाए िान े िाल े िलु भव धात ु और िलु भव मिृ ा तत्ि (आरईई)” अिरों,
िब्िों और कोष्ठकों के स्ट्र्ान पर जनम्नजलजखत अिर, िब्ि और कोष्ठक रखे दकए िाएगं ,े अर्ावत ्:—
“IIIक. (क) पेग्माटाइर्टस, रीफ्स तर्ा िेंस/पाइपों में पाए िाने िाले िलु वभ धातु और िलु वभ मृिा तत्ि (आरईई);
(ख) िेंस तर्ा पेग्माटाइर्टस में पाए िाने िाले क्वार्टिव, फेल्स्ट्पार और अभ्रक, िो अजधजनयम की प्रर्म अनुसूची के
भाग घ में जिजनर्दिष्ट खजनिों अर्िा अजधजनयम की सप्तम अनुसूची के खजनिों अर्िा उच्च िुद्धता क्वार्टिव से संबद्ध
हों।”।
4. उि जनयम की, अनुसूची-2 म,ें क्रं सं 1 तर्ा उससे संबंजधत प्रजिजष्टयों के पश्चात जनम्नजलजखत क्रम संख्या और प्रजिजष्टयां
अंतःस्ट्र्ाजपत की िाएगं ी, अर्ावत् :—
“2. क्वार्टिव, पॉकेट, लेंस, िेंस तर्ा पेग्माटाइर्टस और अजधजनयम की प्रर्म अनुसूची के भाग घ में जिजनर्दिष्ट
फेल्स्ट्पार, अभ्रक खजनिों अर्िा अजधजनयम की सप्तम अनुसूची के खजनिों अर्िा उच्च िुद्धता क्वार्टिव स ेसंबद्ध नहीं।”
[फा. सं. 16/118/2025-खान VI]
कुलिीर ससह यािि, संयुि सजचि
रटप्पण:— मूल जनयम भारत के रािपत्र, असाधारण, भाग 2, खंड 3, उपखंड (i) में सा.का.जन. 304(अ), तारीख 17
अप्रैल, 2015 के द्वारा प्रकाजित दकए गए र् ेऔर तत्पश्चात जनम्नानुसार संिोधन दकए गए :—
1. सा.का.जन. 421(अ), तारीख 18 िून, 2021;
2. सा.का.जन. 856(अ), तारीख 14 दिसम्बर, 2021;
3. सा.का.जन. 52(अ), तारीख 21 िनिरी, 2024; और
4. सा.का.जन. 382(अ), तारीख 12 िून, 2025
MINISTRY OF MINES
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 3rd July, 2026
G.S.R. 567(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13 of the Mines and Minerals
(Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957), the Central Government hereby makes the
following rules further to amend the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, namely:—
1. Short title and commencement.— (1) These rules may be called the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral
Contents) Amendment Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in
rule 3, after clause (d), the following clause shall be inserted, namely: —
“(da) “high purity Quartz” means Quartz having SiO₂ exceeding 99.99% with total impurities below
50 ppm;”.
3. In the said rules, in SCHEDULE-I, in Part-III, in the Table, under the column titled “Type of deposit and
principal minerals”, —[भाग II—खण् ड 3(i)] भारत का रािपत्र : असाधारण 3
(i) for the letters and words “III. Gem-stones: Beryl, topaz, emerald deposits, diamond, pockets/ lenses/
veins of fluorite in carbonatite, etc.”, the following letters, brackets and words shall be substituted,
namely:—
“III. (a) Gem-stones: Beryl, topaz, emerald deposits, diamond, pockets/ lenses/ veins of fluorite in
carbonatite, etc.;
(b) Quartz, Felspar and Mica in veins and pegmatites, not associated with the minerals specified in
Part D of the First Schedule to the Act or the Seventh Schedule of the Act or high purity Quartz.”.
(ii) for the letters, words and brackets “IIIA. Rare metal and Rare Earth Elements (REE) occurring in
pegmatites, reefs and veins/ pipes.”, the following letters, words and brackets shall be substituted,
namely: —
“IIIA. (a) Rare metal and Rare Earth Elements (REE) occurring in pegmatites, reefs and veins/
pipes;
(b) Quartz, Felspar and Mica in veins and pegmatites associated with minerals specified in Part D of
the First Schedule to the Act or the Seventh Schedule to the Act or high purity Quartz.”.
4. In the said rules, in Schedule-II, after serial number 1 and the entries relating thereto, the following
serial number and entries shall be inserted, namely:—
“2. Quartz, Pockets, lenses, veins and pegmatites and not associated with minerals specified in Part
Felspar, Mica D of the First Schedule to the Act or the Seventh Schedule to the Act or high purity
Quartz.”.
[F. No. 16/118/2025-Mines VI]
KULVEER SINGH YADAV, Jt. Secy.
Note:- The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 3, sub-
section (i) vide number G.S.R. 304(E), dated the 17th April, 2015 and were subsequently amended as
follows: —
1. G.S.R. 421 (E), dated the 18th June, 2021;
2. G.S.R. 856 (E), dated the 14th December, 2021;
3. G.S.R. 52 (E), dated the 21st January, 2024; and
4. G.S.R. 382 (E), dated the 12th June, 2025.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.