**Executive Summary**
This document is a notification from the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, dated February 17, 2026. It announces the accreditation of M/s South West Pinnacle Exploration Limited as a "Category 'A' Exploration Agency" and outlines the terms of this accreditation. The notification comes into force upon publication and remains valid for five years or until accreditation expires or is terminated, whichever is earlier.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Accreditation:**
* M/s South West Pinnacle Exploration Limited is notified as a "Category 'A' Exploration Agency."
* This is done as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Mines, order number M.VI-16/15/2021-Mines VI, dated August 12, 2021.
* The accreditation is based on powers conferred by the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and accreditation provided by the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training of the Quality Council of India.
* **Operational Compliance:**
* M/s South West Pinnacle Exploration Limited must conduct prospecting operations in compliance with the conditions specified in the guidelines mentioned above.
* **Validity:**
* The notification comes into force upon publication in the Official Gazette.
* The notification remains valid for five years from the date of notification.
* Validity ends earlier if the accreditation expires or is terminated.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** M/s South West Pinnacle Exploration Limited
* **Impact:** The company is officially recognized as a "Category 'A' Exploration Agency," allowing them to conduct exploration activities in accordance with the specified guidelines.
* **Action Required:** The agency must ensure that all prospecting operations are carried out in compliance with the guidelines specified in the Ministry of Mines order number M.VI-16/15/2021-Mines VI, dated August 12, 2021.
Key Entities Referenced
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957: The principal legislation governing the regulation of mines and minerals in India; the notification is issued in exercise of powers conferred by this Act.
Ministry of Mines: The central government ministry responsible for the notification regarding accredited private exploration agencies.
South West Pinnacle Exploration Limited: The private exploration agency being notified as an accredited 'Category A' exploration agency.
National Accreditation Board for Education and Training: The accreditation board under the Quality Council of India, whose accreditation is a prerequisite for the notification.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-19022026-270289
CG-DxLx-xEG-I1D9H0x2x2x0 26-270289
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असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (ii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 841] नई दिल्ली, मगं लवार, फरवरी 17, 2026/माघ 28, 1947
No. 841] NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2026/MAGHA 28, 1947
खान मत्रं ालय
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 17 फरवरी, 2026
का.आ. 881(अ).— केन्द्रीय सरकार, खान और खजनि (जवकास और जवजनयमन) अजधजनयम, 1957 (1957 का
67) की धारा 4 की उपधारा (1) के िसू रे परंतुक द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए और भारतीय गणु वत्ता पररषि के
राष्ट्रीय जिक्षा एव ंप्रजिक्षण प्रत्यायन बोडड द्वारा उपबंजधत प्रत्यायन के पररणामस्ट्वरूप, भारत सरकार, खान मंत्रालय के आिेि
संख्या एम.VI-16/15/2021-खान VI, तारीख 12 अगस्ट्त, 2021 द्वारा िारी प्रत्याजयत जनिी खोि अजभकरणों की
अजधसूचना के जलए मागडििडक जसद्ांतों के अनुसार “प्रवगड ‘क’ खोि अजभकरण” के अधीन मैससड साउथ वेस्ट्ट जपनेकल
एक्सप्लोरेिन जलजमटेड को अजधसूजचत करती ह।ै
2. उि अजभकरण, उि मागडििडक जसद्ांतों में जवजनर्िडष्ट ितों के अनुपालन म ेंपूवेक्षण संदियाएं कायाडजन्द्वत करेगा।
3. यह अजधसूचना रािपत्र म ें इसके प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रवत्तृ होगी और अजधसूचना की तारीख से पांच वष ड की
अवजध तक या उसके अवसान तक या अनिु त्त प्रत्यायन की समाजि तक, िो भी पूवडतर हो, जवजधमान्द्य रहगे ी।
[फा. स.ं एम.VI-16/22/2022-खान VI]
िकील आलम, आर्थडक सलाहकार
1212 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
MINISTRY OF MINES
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 17th February, 2026
S.O. 881(E).––In exercise of the powers conferred by the second proviso to sub-section (1) of section 4 of the
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957) and consequent upon accreditation provided
by the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training of the Quality Council of India, the Central Government
hereby notifies M/s South West Pinnacle Exploration Limited under “Category ‘A’ Exploration Agency”, as per the
guidelines for notification of accredited private exploration agencies issued by the Government of India, Ministry of
Mines, vide order number M.VI-16/15/2021-Mines VI, dated the 12th August, 2021.
2. The said agency shall carry out prospecting operations in compliance with the conditions specified in the said
guidelines.
3. This notification shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette and shall remain
valid for a period of five years from the date of notification or till expiry or termination of the accreditation granted,
whichever is earlier.
[F. No. M.VI-16/22/2022-Mines VI]
SHAKIL ALAM, Economic Adviser
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.