Economy & Banking★ Must Know

Ministry of Mines auctions 7th-tranche blocks; cumulative critical mineral blocks reach 56

Monday, 22 June 2026 5 min readSource: PIBArticle 4 of 9

The Ministry of Mines successfully auctioned 10 critical and strategic mineral blocks under the Seventh Tranche of the central auction, taking the cumulative number of successfully auctioned critical and strategic mineral blocks to 56, while exploration-licence (EL) blocks rose to 11. The latest round included first-time auctions in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Telangana, covering minerals such as graphite and rare earth elements (REEs). The auctions are part of the National Critical Mineral Mission, aimed at securing India's supply of minerals vital for clean energy, electronics and defence and reducing import dependence. Officials cited an overall success rate of about 63% across the seven tranches.

Key Facts & Details

8 points

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10 blocks were auctioned in the Seventh Tranche, taking the cumulative total to 56 critical & strategic mineral blocks.
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Exploration-licence (EL) blocks rose to 11.
3
First-ever auctions held in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Telangana for minerals like graphite and rare earth elements.
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The auctions fall under the National Critical Mineral Mission, aimed at supply security and reduced import dependence.
5
Overall auction success rate across seven tranches was about 63%.

Deep Dive

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Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, graphite and rare earths are essential for EV batteries, solar panels, electronics and defence systems.
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The National Critical Mineral Mission was launched to build domestic exploration, mining and processing capacity.
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Block auctions are conducted under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act framework.

Exam Focus

After the seventh tranche, what is the cumulative number of critical and strategic mineral blocks auctioned by the Centre?

Exam Relevance & Angle

Critical-mineral policy is a high-frequency current theme; the cumulative block count, the new states added and the link to the National Critical Mineral Mission are exact exam hooks.

Target Exams

SBI POIBPS POSSC CGLRRB NTPCUPSC CSEState PCS

Background & Context

Critical minerals — including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and rare earth elements — are essential inputs for electric-vehicle batteries, renewable energy, electronics, and defence. To cut import dependence (India imports many of these), the government launched the National Critical Mineral Mission and amended mining laws to allow the Central Government to auction blocks of critical and strategic minerals. Auctions are held in tranches; mining-lease (ML) blocks are auctioned where reserves are proven, while exploration-licence (EL) blocks allow private players to explore less-surveyed areas. Bringing new states like Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Telangana into the auction widens India's mineral map.