Mines Ministry puts 20 critical mineral blocks to auction, cuts minimum bidder rule to two

The Ministry of Mines has put 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks up for auction, along with 11 exploration-licence blocks, and has cut the minimum bidder requirement that had left many blocks unsold.

The Ninth Tranche of critical mineral blocks and the Third Tranche of exploration-licence auctions were launched in Goa on 5 November by Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as chief guest.

Tranche IX

The 20 blocks include graphite, vanadium, gallium, titanium, rare earth elements, tungsten and potash. By state: Chhattisgarh 5, Rajasthan 3, Telangana 3, West Bengal 3, Madhya Pradesh 2, Maharashtra 2, Andhra Pradesh 1 and Bihar 1. Across the first eight tranches, 100 unique blocks were offered and 64 were auctioned, a 64 per cent success rate.

Exploration licences

The 11 blocks in Tranche III cover copper, vanadium and rare earth elements in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Telangana and Gujarat. So far 11 blocks have been auctioned in two tranches.

The rule change

Rules notified on 16 October 2026 cut the minimum number of technically qualified bidders for the second round from three to two for Part D minerals, which the ministry calls a key reason blocks went unsold. Letters of intent will be issued automatically through the Unified Mining Portal.

Dates

Tender documents went on sale on 5 November. They can be bought until 1 January 2027, and bids are due by 5 pm on 7 January 2027.

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Source: official release by the Ministry of Mines, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (05 NOV 2026 4:45PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Ministry of Mines Launches the Ninth Tranche of Critical Mineral Block Auction and the Third Tranche of Exploration Licence Auction; Unveils Landmark Reform.