Lok Sabha Question No. 1444 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-04
Subject: e-Auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Harish Chandra Meena

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1444

ANSWERED ON 04.12.2024

## E-AUCTION OF CRITICAL AND STRATEGIC MINERAL BLOCKS

## † 1444   SHRI HARISH CHANDRA MEENA:

Will the Minister of Mines be pleased to state:

- (a) the State-wise details of the mineral blocks for which the Government has invited tenders;
- (b) the current status of e-auction process of 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks announced  by  the  Ministry  of  Mines  including  the  number  of  blocks  successfully auctioned and awaiting allocation;
- (c) the details of units that have received tenders for these mineral blocks including the names of companies and particulars of blocks allotted to each of them;
- (d) the expected timelines for commencement of mining operations in the allocated blocks; and
- (e)  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  that  social  and  economic damage is minimised?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) to (c) So far, the Ministry of Mines has issued NITs for 48 critical mineral blocks in four tranches. Out of these, 24 blocks (4 Mining Lease (ML) and 20 Composite License (CL))  has  been  successfully  auctioned  and  preferred  bidders  have  been  declared. State wise details are given at Annexure -I .

(d) In case of block auctioned for Mining Lease, as per Rule 10 of the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015, Mining Lease has to be executed within 3 years from the date of issue of Letter of Intent (LoI) which is extendable by 2 years by the State Government with reasons recorded in writing. Further, production from these blocks has to start within 2 years of the execution of Mining Lease which is extendable by one year.

In case of block auctioned for Composite Licence, after the issuance LoI, the Preferred Bidder has to obtain all consents, approvals, permits, no-objections as may be required under applicable laws for commencement of prospecting operations and submit the scheme of prospecting within 01 year from the date of the LoI for execution of Composite Licence which is extendable  by 6 months. Thereafter, the composite licence holder has to conduct Geological Exploration of the area to ascertain evidence of  mineral  contents  within  3  years  extendable  by  2  years.  After  the  completion  of prospecting operations and submission of Geological Report, the State Government shall issue a letter of intent for mining lease within a period of fifteen days and further mining lease deed is executed in accordance with Rule 10(6) of the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015.

(e) As per existing law, before execution of the mining lease, every mine is required to obtain the requisite statutory clearances such as Environment Clearance and Forest Clearance etc. from various departments of the Central Government and respective State Governments.

Further, Section 24A of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957  [MMDR  Act,  1957]  prescribes  that  the  concession  holders  are  liable  to  pay compensation to the occupier of the surface of the land, for any loss or damage which is likely to arise or has arisen from or in consequence of the reconnaissance, mining or prospecting operations.

Ministry of Mines has implemented Sustainable Mining by making provisions under Chapter-V of Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR), 2017. Provisions have been incorporated in the rules for precaution against air pollution, prevention of discharge of toxic liquid,  precaution against  noise,  control of  surface subsidence etc.

Rule 35 of MCDR, 2017 provides for star rating of the mining leases based on the sustainable mining practices adopted by the miners. Further, as per Rule 35 (4) of MCDR, 2017, every holder of a mining lease shall achieve at least three-star rating within a period of four years from the date of commencement of mining operations and thereafter maintain the same on year-on-year basis.

*****

|   No. | State             | Name of the Block                                | ML/ CL   | Name of Preferred Bidder           |
|-------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------|----------|------------------------------------|
|     1 | Andhra Pradesh    | Balepalyam Tungsten and Associated Mineral Block | CL       | Hindustan Zinc Limited             |
|     2 | Arunachal Pradesh | Depo Vanadium and Graphite Block                 | CL       | Vedanta Limited                    |
|     3 | Arunachal Pradesh | Endolin-Isholin Graphite Block                   | CL       | Mamco Mining Private Limited       |
|     4 | Arunachal Pradesh | Lodoso East REE and Associated Minerals Block    | CL       | --                                 |
|     5 | Arunachal Pradesh | Phop Graphite and Vanadium Block                 | CL       | Oil India Ltd                      |
|     6 | Arunachal Pradesh | Radhpu Graphite and Vanadium Block               | CL       | Orissa Metaliks Private Limited    |
|     7 | Bihar             | Chutia-Nauhatta Glauconite Block                 | CL       | Rungta Sons Private Limited        |
|     8 | Bihar             | Genjana Nickel, Chromium and PGE Block           | CL       | Vedanta Limited                    |
|     9 | Bihar             | Pipradih-Bhurwa Glauconite Block                 | CL       | Rungta Sons Private Limited        |
|    10 | Chhattisgarh      | Bhalukona Glauconite Block                       | CL       | --                                 |
|    11 | Chhattisgarh      | Chiknipani Tungsten Block                        | CL       | --                                 |
|    12 | Chhattisgarh      | Katghora Lithium and REE Block                   | CL       | Maiki South Mining Private Limited |
|    13 | Chhattisgarh      | Kelenda Glauconite Block                         | CL       | --                                 |
|    14 | Chhattisgarh      | Raipura Phosphorite and Limestone Block          | CL       | --                                 |
|    15 | Chhattisgarh      | Semhardih Phosphorite and Limestone Block        | CL       | --                                 |
|    16 | Gujarat           | Kundol Nickel and Chromium Block                 | CL       | --                                 |
|    17 | Jharkhand         | Muskaniya-Gareriatola- Barwari Potash Block      | CL       | --                                 |
|    18 | Jharkhand         | Ponchi Graphite Block                            | ML       | Satguru Mining Private Limited     |

|   19. | Karnataka      | Dombarahalli Phosphate and REE Block                        | CL   | --                                            |
|-------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|------|-----------------------------------------------|
|    20 | Karnataka      | Gollarahatti-Mallenahalli Nickel, Chromium and PGE Block    | CL   | Vedanta Limited                               |
|    21 | Karnataka      | Holalkere - Doddaghatta Ni and PGE Block                    | CL   | --                                            |
|    22 | Karnataka      | Sanyasikoppa Cobalt, Manganese and Iron Block               | CL   | Vedanta Limited                               |
|    23 | Madhya Pradesh | Bahera- Goriara Graphite and Basemetal Block                | CL   | Vinmir Resources Pvt Ltd                      |
|    24 | Madhya Pradesh | Golighat Graphite and Vanadium Block                        | ML   | Shanti GD Ispat and Power Pvt Ltd.            |
|    25 | Madhya Pradesh | Khattali Chhoti Graphite Block                              | CL   | Coal India Limited                            |
|    26 | Maharashtra    | Kankauli PGE, Nickel, Chromium and Associated Mineral Block | CL   | --                                            |
|    27 | Maharashtra    | Vadakhol-Asoli Ni, Cr, Co and Associated Mineral Block      | CL   | Assam Mineral Development Corporation Limited |
|    28 | Odisha         | Akharkata Graphite Block                                    | CL   | Kundan Gold Mines Private Limited             |
|    29 | Odisha         | Babja Graphite and Manganese Block                          | ML   | Agrasen Sponge Private Limited                |
|    30 | Odisha         | Biarpalli Graphite and Manganese Block                      | ML   | Agrasen Sponge Private Limited                |
|    31 | Odisha         | Dudhiasol East Nickel and Copper Block                      | ML   | --                                            |
|    32 | Rajasthan      | Bharusari Potash and Halite Block                           | CL   | --                                            |
|    33 | Rajasthan      | Lakhasar Potash and Halite Block                            | CL   | --                                            |
|    34 | Rajasthan      | Jhandawali - Satipura Amalgamated Potash and Halite Block   | CL   | --                                            |
|    35 | Rajasthan      | Jorkian-Satipura-Khunja Amalgamated Potash and Halite Block | CL   | --                                            |
|    36 | Tamil Nadu     | Iluppakudi Graphite Block                                   | CL   | Dalmia Bharat Refractories Limited            |
|    37 | Tamil Nadu     | Kurunjakulam Graphite Block                                 | CL   | --                                            |

|   38. | Tamil Nadu            | Mannadipatti Central Molybdenum Block                                 | CL   | --                           |
|-------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|------|------------------------------|
|    39 | Tamil Nadu            | Marudipatti (Central) Molybdenum Block                                | ML   | --                           |
|    40 | Tamil Nadu            | Nayakkarpatti Tungsten Block                                          | CL   | Hindustan Zinc Limited       |
|    41 | Tamil Nadu            | Nochchipatti Molybdenum Block                                         | CL   | --                           |
|    42 | Tamil Nadu            | Velampatti North A&B Molybdenum Block                                 | CL   | --                           |
|    43 | Tamil Nadu            | Vellakkal Central (Segment-A) Molybdenum Block                        | CL   | --                           |
|    44 | Uttar Pradesh         | Barwar Phosphorite Block                                              | CL   | Mamco Mining Private Limited |
|    45 | Uttar Pradesh         | Kurchha Glauconite Block                                              | CL   | Shobha Minerals              |
|    46 | Uttar Pradesh         | Nawatola-Laband REE Block                                             | CL   | --                           |
|    47 | Uttar Pradesh         | Pahadi Kalan-Gora Kalan Phosphorite Block                             | CL   | Sagar Stone Industries       |
|    48 | UT: Jammu and Kashmir | Salal-Haimna Lithium, Titanium and Bauxite (Aluminous Laterite) Block | CL   | --                           |