The Centre on Wednesday launched the eighth tranche of e-auction for 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks across nine states, further expanding India’s efforts to secure essential mineral resources, reduce import dependence and strengthen supply chains for sectors such as clean energy, defence, aerospace and advanced manufacturing.
Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, along with Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey, launched the latest round of auctions during the curtain raiser event of India Mining Week 2026. The event was attended by senior government officials, representatives of state governments, industry leaders, public sector undertakings, think tanks, prospective bidders and members of the media.
Addressing the gathering, Reddy said India Mining Week is envisioned as a premier platform that brings together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, technology providers and academia to accelerate the growth of India’s mining sector. He said the launch of the eighth tranche reflects the government’s continued commitment to strengthening mineral security, attracting investments and unlocking the country’s mineral potential to build a globally competitive and future-ready mining ecosystem.
MoS Dubey described mining as a key pillar of nation-building, energy security and the vision of Viksit Bharat. He highlighted the sector’s ongoing transformation through commercial mining, digital governance and greater private sector participation, saying these reforms are promoting transparency, efficiency and sustainable growth while ensuring that mining benefits local communities.
Mines Secretary Piyush Goyal said India Mining Week has been conceived as an annual global platform to showcase India’s mining potential, encourage technology adoption and foster partnerships among governments, industry and investors.
He said the eighth tranche comprises 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks spread across nine states, taking the total number of critical mineral blocks offered for auction to 88. Of these, 56 blocks have already been successfully auctioned, reflecting growing industry confidence in India’s mining reforms.
The latest tranche includes 13 newly identified mineral blocks and seven blocks being re-offered under the second attempt in accordance with the Mineral (Auction) Rules.
Among the states, Chhattisgarh has the highest number of blocks on offer with five, followed by Bihar and Odisha with three each. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan have two blocks each, while Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal have one block each.
The mineral portfolio includes molybdenum, graphite, glauconite, vanadium-bearing magnetite-ilmenite, vanadium, gallium, titanium, rare earth elements (REE), bauxite, aluminous laterite, phosphorite, limestone, manganese, potash, halite, tungsten and rare metals such as lithium, cesium and rubidium.
According to the Ministry of Mines, these minerals are critical for clean energy technologies, electric mobility, advanced manufacturing, fertilisers, defence, aerospace, electronics and several other strategic industries. Their auction is expected to strengthen India’s mineral security, reduce reliance on imports and support long-term industrial growth and the country’s energy transition.
The sale of tender documents commenced on July 15 and will remain open until September 14, 2026, at 5 p.m. IST. The last date for submission of technical bids and initial price offers is September 21, 2026, by 5 p.m. IST.
The ministry said the auction will be conducted online through a transparent two-stage ascending forward auction process. The preferred bidder will be selected based on the highest percentage of the value of mineral dispatched quoted during the bidding process.
With the launch of the eighth tranche, the Ministry said it has further strengthened the pipeline of critical and strategic mineral blocks available for exploration and mining. The initiative is aimed at enhancing domestic mineral security, encouraging private sector participation and building a resilient, self-reliant and globally competitive mineral sector in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
