Lok Sabha Question No. 3178 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Inclusion of Minor Minerals to Major Minerals List
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Hanuman Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3178

ANSWERED ON 19.03.2025

## INCLUSION OF MINOR MINERALS TO MAJOR MINERALS LIST

†3178. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has issued any notification to include minerals like barites, quartz, feldspar and mica etc. from the list of minor minerals to the list of major minerals; (b) if so, the details thereof along with reasons therefor;

- (c) whether the Government is aware that the lakhs of people associated with the minor mineral industry in Rajasthan are likely to suffer loss because of the said notification;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to review the said decision; and
- (e) if so, the time by which it is likely to be reviewed and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b): The Central Government has omitted the minerals barites, quartz, feldspar and mica  from  the  list  of  minor  minerals  vide  notification  number  S.O.  924  (E)  dated 20.02.2025.

The host rocks of quartz,  feldspar  and mica  are  an  important  source  of  many  critical minerals such as beryl, lithium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, tin, titanium, tungsten, etc.  These  minerals  have  vital  role  in  various  new  technologies,  in  energy  transition, spacecraft industries, healthcare sector, etc. These minerals have been omitted from the list  of  minor  minerals  to  ensure  exploration  and  extraction  of  the  critical  minerals associated with these minerals.

Barite has wide uses oil and gas drilling as a weighting agent in the drill mud. Its other uses are in car, electronics, TV screen, rubber, glass, ceramics, paint, radiation shielding and medical applications. Barite is found in association with ores of antimony, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, silver and iron ore. While mining either of the minerals, the production of associated mineral is inevitable.

(c) to (e): In the matter, the Ministry of Mines had issued a clarification to all the State Governments, inter-alia informing that the lease period of the existing leases of minerals Barites, Felspar, Mica and Quartz shall be governed as per section 8A of the MMDR Act. Thus,  lease  period  of  mining  leases  granted  after  the  commencement  of  the  MMDR Amendment Act, 2015 shall be for the period of 50 years.

Further,  in  case  of  mining  leases  granted  before  the  commencement  of  the  MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, the lease period shall be extended and be deemed to have been extended up to a period ending on the 31st March, 2020 (for merchant mines) or 31st March, 2030 (for captive mines) with effect from the date of expiry of the period of renewal last made or till the completion of renewal period, if any, or a period of 50 years from the date of grant of such lease, whichever is later, subject to the condition that all the terms and conditions of the lease have been complied with. If required, the State Government may issue necessary orders for lease extension as per the provision of 8A of the Act.

Further, till the approval of the mining plan by the IBM, the existing lessees have been allowed to continue the production and dispatch based on existing mining plan approved the State Government.

Therefore, the Government has taken adequate measures to protect the interests of the existing miners.

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