Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy
| Photo Credit:
Ebenezer Stephen Duraiappah B 10801@Chennai
Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday launched the Eighth Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks.The Eighth Tranche comprises 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks spread across nine States, including 13 newly identified blocks and seven blocks being offered under the second attempt. The mineral portfolio includes Molybdenum, Graphite, Glauconite, Rare Earth Elements (REE), Vanadium, Gallium, Titanium, Tungsten, Phosphorite, Potash, Lithium, Cesium and Rubidium. These minerals are critical for clean energy, advanced manufacturing, fertilisers, defence and other strategic sectors.With seven tranches completed, the Ministry of Mines has successfully auctioned 56 out of 88 critical and strategic mineral blocks taken up for auction, achieving a success rate of over 63 per cent. The mineral sector achieved a historic milestone in FY25–26, with 212 mineral blocks successfully auctioned, the highest in any financial year since the commencement of the auction regime. This included 22 critical and strategic mineral blocks, reaffirming the government’s commitment to securing critical mineral resources essential for India’s economic growth, technological advancement and clean energy transition.Mines Secretary Piyush Goyal, highlighted the strategic importance of critical minerals in securing India’s energy transition, advanced manufacturing capabilities and long-term economic growth. He emphasised the government’s continued focus on creating a transparent, competitive and investor-friendly mining ecosystem through progressive policy reforms and accelerated exploration. Announcing the forthcoming launch of the 8th round of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks auctions, he said the initiative will further strengthen domestic availability of critical minerals, encourage greater private sector participation, attract investment and reinforce India’s resilient mineral value chains. He noted that India Mining Week 2026 will serve as a global platform to showcase India’s mining reforms, resource potential and emerging opportunities while fostering international collaboration, innovation and investment in the sector.At the event, the Minister also formally announced the India Mining Week 2026, India’s largest conference-cum-exhibition for the mining and minerals sector, scheduled to be held from 15-17 November 2026 in New Delhi.Reddy said the event would serve as a premier international platform to bring together governments, industry, investors, technology leaders, researchers, startups and academia to strengthen partnerships, promote innovation and shape the future of sustainable and technology-driven mining. Referring to emerging global challenges related to energy security, critical minerals and resilient supply chains, he said India is pursuing an integrated approach that combines policy reforms, technological advancement, value addition, sustainability and international collaboration to build a future-ready mining ecosystem. The Minister expressed confidence that the event would strengthen global partnerships, showcase India’s mineral potential and technological capabilities, and contribute to realizing the vision of Aatmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat. He urged all technology innovators, researchers, industries and other stakeholders to be part of the India Mining Week 2026.Referring to India Mining Week, Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt said the event comes at an important juncture for India’s mining sector, as the country continues to accelerate reforms and unlock new opportunities for sustainable growth. He emphasised that our objective is to make investment decisions faster, project implementation smoother and regulatory processes more transparent, predictable and user-friendly.Published on July 15, 2026
