Lok Sabha Question No. 3180 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-11
Subject: Critical Minerals
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3180

## ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026

## CRITICAL MINERALS

3180. DR. THIRUMAAVALAVAN THOLKAPPIYAN:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

(a) the details and number of minerals are classified as Critical Minerals; (b) whether leasing area limit has been increased during the last three years; and

- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY)

(a): A list of 24 critical and strategic minerals has been included in Part-D of the First Schedule  of  the  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation)  [MMDR]  Act, 1957 (Annexure-I).

(b) & (c): The Ministry of Mines in exercise of the powers conferred under the proviso to clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section (6) of the MMDR Act, 1957, has relaxed the area limit for prospecting licence and mining lease in respect of each of the 24 critical and strategic minerals listed in Part-D of the First Schedule to the MMDR Act, 1957, to 100 sq. km. and 50 sq. km. respectively, for each of the States, vide order dated 22.02.2024.

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## Annexure-I

| List of 24 Critical and Strategic Minerals                                  |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1. Beryl and other beryllium bearing minerals.                              |
| 2. Cadmium bearing minerals.                                                |
| 3. Cobalt bearing minerals.                                                 |
| 4. Gallium bearing minerals.                                                |
| 5. Glauconite.                                                              |
| 6. Graphite.                                                                |
| 7. Indium bearing minerals.                                                 |
| 8. Lithium bearing minerals.                                                |
| 9. Molybdenum bearing minerals.                                             |
| 10. Nickel bearing minerals.                                                |
| 11. Niobium bearing minerals.                                               |
| 12. Phosphate (without uranium).                                            |
| 13. Platinum group of elements bearing minerals.                            |
| 14. Potash.                                                                 |
| 15. Minerals of the "rare earths" group not containing Uranium and Thorium. |
| 16. Rhenium bearing minerals.                                               |
| 17. Selenium bearing minerals.                                              |
| 18. Tantalum bearing minerals.                                              |
| 19. Tellurium bearing minerals.                                             |
| 20. Tin bearing minerals.                                                   |
| 21. Titanium bearing minerals and ores (ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene).    |
| 22. Tungsten bearing minerals.                                              |
| 23. Vanadium bearing minerals.                                              |
| 24. Zirconium-bearing minerals and ores including zircon.                   |

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