**Executive Summary**
This notification, issued by the Ministry of Mines on April 10, 2026, introduces the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026. The amendment modifies rules regarding royalty charges for processed minerals and establishes new pricing benchmarks for low-grade iron ore. These rules come into force immediately upon their publication in the Official Gazette.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Royalty Provisions**
* **Run-of-Mine (ROM) Processing:** If the processing of run-of-mine minerals leads to a decrease in its economic value, royalty will be charged on the lumps and fines remaining after the initial screening of the unprocessed ROM.
**Pricing and Publication Requirements**
* **IBM Publication Mandate:** The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) is required to publish the average sale price for Haematite Iron Ore with iron (Fe) content below threshold values.
* **Scope of Minerals:** These pricing requirements include Banded Haematite Quartzite and Banded Haematite Jasper.
**Benchmark Pricing Formulas**
* **35% to below 45% Fe Grade:** The average sale price is set at 75% of the average sale price of Iron Ore with 45% to below 51% Fe grade.
* **Below 35% Fe Grade:** The average sale price is set at 50% of the average sale price of Iron Ore with 45% to below 51% Fe grade.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM)**
**Impact**
The IBM is now responsible for calculating and officially publishing average sale prices for specific low-grade iron ore categories that were previously below threshold values.
**Action Required**
Establish and publish the average sale prices for Haematite Iron Ore (including Banded Haematite Quartzite/Jasper) for the specified Fe grade categories using the new percentage-based formulas.
**Mining Leaseholders / Concessionaires**
**Impact**
Leaseholders are affected by changes in how royalty is calculated for processed run-of-mine minerals and the standardized pricing for low-grade ore.
**Action Required**
Ensure royalty payments and sale price reporting align with the new screening requirements and the percentage-based benchmarks for low-grade iron ore.
**Government Authorities (Central and State)**
**Impact**
The amendments standardize the valuation of low-grade minerals, ensuring consistency in revenue collection and mineral concessions.
**Action Required**
Adopt these amended rules for the assessment of royalties and the regulation of mineral concessions for non-atomic and non-hydrocarbon minerals.
Key Entities Referenced
Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026: The specific amendment rules introducing new royalty calculation methods for processed run-of-mine and pricing benchmarks for iron ore.
Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016: The principal ruleset governing mineral concessions that is being updated by this notification.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957: The primary legislation under Section 13 of which the Central Government has issued these amendment rules.
Indian Bureau of Mines: The regulatory body tasked with publishing the average sale price for Haematite Iron Ore with Fe content below threshold values.
Ministry of Mines: The primary central ministry responsible for the administration and notification of these mining sector policy changes.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-10042026-271702
xxxGIDHxxx
CG-DLxx-ExG-I1D0E0x4x2x0 26-271702
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (i)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 251] नई दिल्ली, िुरिार, अप्रलै 10, 2026/चत्रै 20, 1948
No. 251] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2026/CHAITRA 20, 1948
खान मत्रं ालय
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 10 अप्रलै , 2026
सा.का.जन. 271(अ).— केन्द्रीय सरकार, खान और खजनि (जिकास और जिजनयमन) अजधजनयम, 1957 (1957 का 67)
की धारा 13 द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए, खजनि (परमाणु और हाइड्रोकार्नब ऊिाब खजनिों से जभन्न) ररयायत जनयम,
2016 का और सिं ोधन करने के जलए जनम्नजलजखत जनयम र्नाती है, अर्ाबत्:——
1. सजं िप्त नाम और प्रारंभ.—— (1) इन जनयमों का संजिप्त नाम खजनि (परमाणु और हाइड्रोकार्नब ऊिाब खजनिों से जभन्न)
ररयायत (तीसरा संिोधन) जनयम, 2026 ह।ै
(2) ये रािपत्र में उनके प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रित्ृ त होंगे।
2. खजनि (परमाणु और हाइड्रोकार्नब ऊिाब खजनिों से जभन्न) ररयायत जनयम, 2016 (जिसे इसमें इसके पश्चात उि जनयम कहा
गया ह)ै में, जनयम 39 के उपजनयम (1) में, जनम्नजलजखत परंतकु अतं ःस्ट्र्ाजपत दकया िाएगा, अर्ातब :्—
"परंतु यदि खान र्जहस्राि के प्रसंस्ट्करण के पररणामस्ट्िरुप उसके आर्र्कब मल्ू य में कमी आती ह ै तो अप्रसंस्ट्कृत खान
र्जहस्राि की आरंजभक स्ट्रीननंग के र्ाि लंप्स और फाइन्द्स पर स्ट्िाजमस्ट्ि प्रभायब होगा।"
3. उि जनयमों में, जनयम 45 में, उपजनयम (12) के पश्चात जनम्नजलजखत उपजनयम अतं ःस्ट्र्ाजपत दकया िाएगा, अर्ातब ्:——
2599 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
"(13) भारतीय खान ब्यरू ो प्रारंजभक मूल्य से कम तत्ि िाले हमे ाटाइट लौह अयस्ट्क, जिसमें र्ैंडेड हमे ाटाइट क्वाटबिाइट
और र्ैंडेड हमे ाटाइट िैस्ट्पर सजममजलत ह,ैं का औसत जिरय कीमत जनम्नजलजखत रीजत से प्रकाजित करेगा, अर्ातब ्:——
(क) 35% से 45% से नीचे Fe श्रेणी के जलए, औसत जिरय कीमत 45% से 51% से नीचे Fe श्रणे ी के लौह अयस्ट्क
के औसत जिरय कीमत का पचहत्तर प्रजतित के समतुल्य होगा;
(ख) 35% से नीचे Fe श्रणे ी के जलए, औसत जिरय कीमत 45% से 51% से नीचे Fe श्रेणी के लौह अयस्ट्क के औसत
जिरय कीमत का पचास प्रजतित के समतुल्य होगा।"
[फा. सं. एम. VI-1/6/2021-खान VI]
िकील आलम, आर्र्बक सलाहकार
रटप्पण.— खजनि (परमाणु और हाइड्रोकार्बन ऊिाब खजनिों से जभन्न) ररयायत जनयम, 2016 भारत के रािपत्र, असाधारण,
भाग II, खंड 3, उप-खंड (i) में संखयाकं सा.का.जन. 279(अ), तारीख 4 माचब, 2016 द्वारा प्रकाजित दकए गए र्े और
अंजतम र्ार सखं याकं सा.का.जन. 222(अ), तारीख 30 माचब, 2026 द्वारा संिोजधत दकए गए र्े।
MINISTRY OF MINES
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 10th April, 2026
G.S.R. 271(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 (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016, namely:—
1. Short title and commencement.— (1) These rules may be called the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro
Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016 (hereinafter
referred to as the said rules), in rule 39, in sub-rule (1), the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:—
“Provided that in case the processing of run-of-mine results in decrease in its economic value, then royalty shall
be chargeable on the lumps and fines after initial screening of unprocessed run-of-mine.”.
3. In the said rules, in rule 45, after sub-rule (12), the following sub-rule shall be inserted, namely:—
“(13) The Indian Bureau of Mines shall publish average sale price of Haematite Iron Ore having Fe content
below the threshold value, including Banded Haematite Quartzite and Banded Haematite Jasper in the
following manner, namely:—
(a) for 35% to below 45% Fe grade, the average sale price shall be equal to seventy-five per cent. of average
sale price of 45% to below 51% Fe grade of Iron Ore;
(b) for below 35% Fe grade, the average sale price shall be equal to fifty per cent. of average sale price of
45% to below 51% Fe grade of Iron Ore.”.
[F. No. M.VI-1/6/2021-Mines VI]
SHAKIL ALAM, Economic Adviser
Note:- The Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Mineral) Concession Rules, 2016 were published
in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number G.S.R. 279(E), dated the
4th March, 2016 and lastly amended vide number G.S.R. 222(E), dated the 30th March, 2026.
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.