New Delhi: The Ministry of Mines on Thursday put 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks up for auction in the ninth tranche of its e-auctions. It also launched the third tranche of auctions for exploration licence (EL) blocks. Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy launched both tranches. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant attended as chief guest, along with Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey.
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The new tranche follows a mixed record. The ministry offered 100 unique critical and strategic mineral blocks across the previous eight tranches, according to its statement. Of those, 64 were successfully auctioned, a success rate of 64 percent.
To lift that rate, the ministry has changed a bidding rule. The Mineral (Auction) Third Amendment Rules, 2026, notified on October 16, cut the minimum number of technically qualified bidders needed for the second round from three to two for Part D minerals. The change has been built into the tender documents for both tranches. According to the ministry, it “addresses a key reason blocks have gone unsold.”
The 20 blocks in the ninth tranche are spread across eight states. The 20 blocks will be offered under the Mineral (Auction) Rules.
Chhattisgarh has the largest share, with five blocks. Between them, they hold phosphorite-limestone, vanadium, gallium, titanium, rare earth elements (REE), bauxite, aluminous laterite and glauconite.
Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal follow with three blocks each. Rajasthan’s blocks carry potash and halite, and tungsten. Telangana’s hold titanium, vanadium, scandium, gallium and aluminous laterite. West Bengal’s cover graphite, REE and rare metal.
Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have two blocks each. Madhya Pradesh is offering vanadium, gallium, titanium, bauxite and aluminous laterite. Maharashtra’s blocks hold REE, rare metal, vanadium, gallium, titanium, bauxite and aluminous laterite.
Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have one block each, with graphite and glauconite respectively.
The ministry said these minerals are critical for clean energy technologies, electric mobility, advanced manufacturing, fertilisers, defence, aerospace and electronics, among other strategic industries.
The exploration licence tranche runs alongside the ninth tranche. ELs were introduced through Section 10BA of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, or MMDR Act. They allow private investment in exploring 29 critical and deep-seated minerals listed in the Seventh Schedule of the Act. In the ministry’s words, the licences open up exploration to private industry “even before mining begins”. So far, 11 EL blocks have been successfully auctioned in two tranches.
The third tranche offers 11 blocks across six states, and rare earth elements feature most often. Rajasthan has the most blocks, at four, covering potash and halite, and REE and associated mineralisation. Telangana’s three blocks are all for REE. West Bengal’s single block is also for REE.
The other three states have one block each. Madhya Pradesh is offering copper and Maharashtra vanadium. Gujarat’s block holds vanadium and associated mineralisation.
Tender documents for both auctions went on sale on Thursday. Bidders can buy them until 5 pm IST on January 1, 2027. Technical bids and initial price offers are due by 5 pm IST on January 7, 2027.
The two tranches will follow different auction formats. Critical mineral blocks, offered as composite licences and mining leases, will go through a two-stage ascending forward auction online, and the bidder quoting the highest percentage of revenue share will win. EL blocks will go through a two-stage descending reverse auction online. There, the winner will be the bidder quoting the lowest percentage share out of the future lessee’s revenue share. The auctions will run on the MSTC e-auction platform.
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The ministry also said letters of intent will now be issued automatically through the Unified Mining Portal. These changes add to earlier reforms, including the Mineral (Auction) Second Amendment Rules, 2025 and insurance surety bonds. The ministry said they are aimed at improving ease of doing business and investor confidence.