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					</table><p>The <a href="https://mines.gov.in/webportal/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Mines</a> has unveiled the third tranche of e-auction for critical and strategic minerals. The auction will grant concessions for seven critical mineral blocks across five states.</p>
<p>Prospective bidders can purchase tender documents from the <a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/daily-wrap-up-maharashtra-kusum-auction-results/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MSTC</a> e-auction platform starting March 20, 2024.</p>
<p>The price of the tender document is ₹300,000 (~$3,619.9) plus applicable GST.</p>
<p>The deadline for purchasing the tender document is May 9, 2024, while the submission deadline for bids is May 14, 2024.</p>
<p>The auction marks a step in ensuring the availability of essential minerals vital for various industries across the country.</p>
<p>The Ministry has identified seven mineral blocks for composite licenses (CL) in the third tranche, comprising of minerals such as glauconite, graphite, nickel, platinum group elements (PGE), potash, lithium, and titanium.</p>
<p>These blocks are located in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-64424 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-3.png" alt="" width="680" height="352" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-3.png 680w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-3-300x155.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-3-650x336.png 650w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-3-624x323.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-3-600x311.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px" /></p>
<p>The decision to include these blocks follows assessment, with these sites receiving fewer than three bids during the first tranche.</p>
<p>The initiative was guided by the Mineral (Auction) Rules 2015, specifically sub-rules 10 and 11(b) of rule 9.</p>
<p>The tender has been issued and published on the MSTC e-auction portal and the Ministry of Mines website, facilitating widespread participation in the bidding process.</p>
<p>The latest tranche builds upon the success of previous auctions. The central government has already conducted auctions for 38 critical and strategic minerals.</p>
<p>Pralhad Joshi, the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Government of India, launched the first and second tranches, comprising 20 and 18 blocks, respectively, on November 29, 2023, and February 29, 2024.</p>
<p>These auctions have offered a diverse range of critical and strategic minerals crucial for various industrial sectors.</p>
<p>The MSTC auction platform provides comprehensive details about the mines, auction terms, timelines, and other relevant information.</p>
<p>The auction process will be conducted online through a transparent two-stage ascending forward auction mechanism.</p>
<p>The government said its commitment to enhancing the availability of critical minerals remains steadfast, and plans are underway to phase in the auction of more blocks.</p>
<p>This approach is expected to strengthen the nation&#8217;s mineral security and contribute to the growth and sustainability of various industries reliant on these essential resources.</p>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Mines <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/india-launches-second-strategic-mineral-blocks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> the second tranche of the auction to grant concessions for 18 critical and strategic mineral blocks across eight states, with 17 designated for the grant of composite license and one for the mining lease.</p>
<p>The first tranche was earlier <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ministry-of-mines-issues-critical-minerals-blocks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> on November 29, 2023, which saw the auction of 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks, including minerals like glauconite, nickel, platinum group elements (PGE), potash, graphite, molybdenum, phosphorite, lithium, and rare earth elements (REE).</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Gautamee Hazarika</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Gautamee,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
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<a href="gautamee@mercomindia.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gautamee@mercomindia.com</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="102" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">Gautamee</a> is a reporter at Mercom India. Prior to Mercom, Gautamee was working as a multimedia news journalist at ThePrint in New Delhi. She has received her Bachelors in English Honors and Masters in English Literature from St.Stephen&#8217;s College, University of Delhi.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">More articles from Gautamee</a></div>
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Ministry Launches Third Tranche of Auction for Seven Critical Mineral Blocks


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					</table><p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/sjvn-hinduja-avaada-blupine-guvnls-500-mw-solar-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SJVN Green Energy, Hinduja Renewables Energy, Avaada Energy, and Solarcraft Power India 5 (Blupine Energy) won Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam’s auction to purchase power from 500 MW of grid-connected solar power projects (Phase XXII) to be set up anywhere in India,</strong></a> with a greenshoe option of an additional 500 MW. SJVN won 100 MW, quoting ₹2.63 (~$0.0316)/ kWh. Hinduja won 140 MW at ₹2.64 (~$0.0317)/ kWh. Avaada won 100 MW and Blupine 50 MW, respectively, both quoting ₹2.65 (~$0.0319)/ kWh. Only 390 MW out of the total tendered capacity was auctioned.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cap-payments-critical-mineral-auctions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Ministry of Mines has proposed changes to the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015, to cap the amount of performance security and upfront payments payable</strong></a> after winning the rights to extract minerals. The move addresses concerns regarding financial barriers that might impede bidder participation in auctions of critical minerals. Stakeholders must submit their comments by January 19, 2024. The ministry has identified certain mineral blocks, particularly those rich in critical and strategic minerals, with high value of estimated resources.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/rajasthan-invites-bids-from-land-solar-park/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Saurya Urja Company of Rajasthan (SUCRL) has invited expressions of interest to empanel land aggregators or facilitators for acquiring private land on lease for a 700 MW solar park.</strong></a> The last date for the submission of bids is January 5, 2024. Bids will be opened on SUCRL, a joint venture between the Government of Rajasthan and IL&amp;FS Energy Development Company, which was established in 2015 to develop 5,000 MW of solar parks in Rajasthan. The company has already developed a 1,000 MW solar park in Bhadla III.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/indian-oil-tenders-solar-project-in-karnataka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Oil Corporation has invited bids for the operation and maintenance (O&amp;M) of an existing 1.1 MW solar power project at Indane Bottling Plant, Devanagonthi village in Bengaluru Rural district in Karnataka.</strong></a> The project is valued at ₹1.3 million (~$16,172) for one year, including 18% GST. For a complete O&amp;M duration of three years, the total value is ₹4.03 million (~$48,449.2), including 18% GST. The last date for submission of bids is January 6, 2024. Bids will be opened on January 8.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/karnataka-regulator-upholds-group-wind-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has approved the group captive status of a 38 MW wind power project for Four EF Renewables, a special purpose vehicle of Ampyr Energy.</strong></a> The petitioner can claim group captive status from May 24, 2021. The petitioner is entitled to a banking facility from August 24, 2021, confirmed by a supplemental agreement on May 23, 2022. However, KERC ruled that Four EF Renewables will not be entitled to compensation for power injected without open access from December 6, 2020, to February 23, 2021.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/revfin-funding-india-ev-ecosystem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-based digital lending platform Revfin has secured ₹115 million (~$14 million) in the latest round of funding to expand financing for electric vehicles, charging systems, and batteries.</strong></a> Led by Omidyar Network’s $5 million investment, the Series B funding was joined by Asian Development Bank, Companion Capital, and existing investors Green Frontier Capital and Lighthouse Canton Nueva. This capital infusion is the company’s second significant investment in the last year. This funding brings Revfin’s total capital raised through debt and equity to ₹6.25 billion (~$75 million).</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Arjun Joshi</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Arjun Joshi,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="86" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Arjun Joshi</strong> </a>is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, he worked as a technical writer for enterprise resource software companies based in India and abroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Psychology, and Optional English from Garden City University, Bangalore. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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Daily News Wrap-Up: GUVNL’s 500 MW Solar Auction Results


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://mines.gov.in/webportal/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Mines</a> has proposed changes to the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015, to cap the amount of performance security and upfront payments payable after winning the rights to extract minerals. The move addresses concerns regarding financial barriers that might impede bidder participation in auctions of critical minerals.</p>
<p>Stakeholders must submit their comments by January 19, 2024.</p>
<p>The ministry has identified certain mineral blocks, particularly those rich in critical and strategic minerals, with high value of estimated resources (VER). Consequently, the existing requirements for performance security and upfront amounts, based on a percentage of VER, have become substantial.</p>
<p>Recently, the ministry <u><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ministry-of-mines-issues-critical-minerals-blocks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a></u> bids to grant concessions for 20 critical mineral blocks across seven states and one union territory. The critical minerals essential for renewable energy listed in the auction include lithium and graphite.</p>
<p>The Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015, already include caps for net worth requirements at ₹2 billion (~$24 million) for the auction of mining lease and ₹1 billion (~$12 million) for the auction of composite license. The bid security is ₹500 million (~$6 million) for auctioning the mining lease and composite license.</p>
<p>However, there are currently no caps on performance security and upfront amounts.</p>
<p>The amendments propose to cap upfront payment and performance security for mining leases at ₹5 billion (~$60 million) each. Additionally, the performance security for a composite license is proposed to be amended with a cap of ₹2.5 billion (~$30 million) before issuing a composite license and ₹5 billion (~$60 million) before issuing a mining lease.</p>
<p>The performance security amount must be maintained by the successful bidder until the expiry of the mining lease period, with adjustments every five years based on the reassessed value of estimated resources in the block.</p>
<p>The upfront amount is fully adjusted against the auction premium payable by the successful bidder on the commencement of production.</p>
<p>If implemented, these amendments would apply to the preferred bidder selected after the proposed amendments&#8217; commencement date.</p>
<p>In September, the government <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/government-cost-for-critical-mineral-exploration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a 25% incentive on the approved project cost for exploration agencies to enhance the exploration of critical minerals.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Arjun Joshi</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Arjun Joshi,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="86" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Arjun Joshi</strong> </a>is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, he worked as a technical writer for enterprise resource software companies based in India and abroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Psychology, and Optional English from Garden City University, Bangalore. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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Government to Cap Performance Security Payments for Critical Mineral Auctions


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://mines.gov.in/webportal/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Mines</a> has invited bids for the grant of concessions for 20 critical mineral blocks across seven states and one union territory. The selection of eligible bidders will be based on the highest percentage of the value of mineral despatched quoted by them.</p>
<p>The last date for the submission of bids is January 22, 2024.</p>
<p>The tender document and applicable GST are priced at ₹300,000 (~$3,600).</p>
<p>The total area allocated for the first-ever critical minerals auction is 463.995 hectares.</p>
<p>The Ministry has identified four mineral blocks for mining leases (ML) and 16 mineral blocks for composite licenses (CL), intending to conduct an electronic auction.</p>
<p>The critical minerals essential for renewable energy listed in the auction include Lithium, Bauxite, Graphite, Nickel, Chromium, Copper, Manganese, and Molybdenum Ore.</p>
<p>The list of the mineral blocks for the auction is as follows:</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-60850 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Picture1-8.png" alt="" width="752" height="516" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Picture1-8.png 752w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Picture1-8-300x206.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Picture1-8-650x446.png 650w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Picture1-8-624x428.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Picture1-8-600x412.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" /></p>
<p>The reserve price is fixed at 2% for 19 blocks, except for the Kurchha Glauconite Block in Uttar Pradesh, which is set at 2.03%.</p>
<p>Bidders must acquire clearances to commence mining operations. This includes obtaining forest clearance, wildlife clearance for sanctuaries, reserves, or special zones, environmental clearance, and approval for the mining plan.</p>
<p>The preferred bidder must also secure consent to establish an explosive license, permission for mine opening, and approval for equipment installation or trial operation. Groundwater clearance at the central and state levels and approvals for railway siding, diesel storage, and power lines from the state&#8217;s power distribution company.</p>
<p>The preferred bidder must obtain clearances related to working under existing transmission lines or shifting such lines, village authority consent, and any other clearances necessary to initiate mining operations.</p>
<p>The initiative aligns with India&#8217;s commitment to achieving 50% of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.</p>
<p>The energy transition plan is expected to boost the demand for electric vehicles, wind and solar energy projects, and battery storage systems, consequently increasing the demand for these critical minerals.</p>
<p>The significance of critical and strategic minerals lies in their essential role across various sectors such as renewable energy, defense, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, high-tech electronics, telecommunications, transport, and the establishment of gigafactories.</p>
<p>The demand for these minerals is being met mostly through imports.</p>
<p>The government this year amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act to allow private companies to explore and mine critical minerals. Earlier, critical mineral exploration and mining were preserved by the public sector.</p>
<p>Royalties for critical minerals have been <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/union-cabinet-approves-royalty-critical-minerals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rationalized</a> to encourage more participation in auctions. In March 2022, the government specified royalty rates for Platinum Group of Metals (PGM) at 4%, Molybdenum at 7.5%, and Glauconite and Potash at 2.5%.</p>
<p>Subsequently, on October 12, 2023, royalty rates for lithium were set at 3%, nickel at 3%, and rare earth elements at 1%.</p>
<p>In June, India <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/india-unveils-critical-clean-energy-and-cut-imports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unveiled</a> its first-ever report on “Critical Minerals for India,” identifying a list of 30 critical minerals, comprising lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, cadmium, silicon, indium, and tellurium used in renewables.</p>
<p>In September, the government <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/government-cost-for-critical-mineral-exploration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a 25% incentive on the approved project cost for exploration agencies in a bid to enhance the exploration of critical minerals. The decision aims to expedite the discovery and extraction of critical minerals, reduce the country’s dependence on imports, and foster self-sufficiency in these vital resources.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Gautamee Hazarika</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Gautamee,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Gautamee.</a><br />
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<a href="gautamee@mercomindia.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gautamee@mercomindia.com</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="102" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">Gautamee</a> is a reporter at Mercom India. Prior to Mercom, Gautamee was working as a multimedia news journalist at ThePrint in New Delhi. She has received her Bachelors in English Honors and Masters in English Literature from St.Stephen&#8217;s College, University of Delhi.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">More articles from Gautamee</a></div>
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Ministry of Mines Issues Tender for 20 Critical Minerals Blocks


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					</table><p>The Union Cabinet has approved the amendment to the Second Schedule of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), setting reduced royalty rates for three critical and strategic minerals – lithium, niobium, and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) – used in the energy transition technologies.</p>
<p>The development paves the way for the inaugural auction of these mineral blocks with loyalty rates reduced by the <a href="https://mines.gov.in/webportal/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Mines</a> from an elevated default rate of 12% of average selling (ASP) to 3% of the London Metal Exchange price for lithium, 3% of ASP (primary and secondary sources) for niobium, and 1% of ASP for rare earth oxide (REE).</p>
<p>Royalty rates on minerals are an important financial consideration for bidders in the auction of mineral blocks.</p>
<p>In August, the amended MMDR Act took effect, removing lithium, niobium, and REEs (except uranium and thorium) from the atomic minerals category. The amendment provided for granting mining leases and composite licenses of 24 critical and strategic minerals to the private sector for auction.</p>
<p>Critical minerals play a vital role in developing batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage, making them crucial for India to meet its energy transition and net-zero goals.</p>
<p>In September, the Union government <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/government-cost-for-critical-mineral-exploration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a 25% incentive on the approved project cost for exploration agencies to accelerate the discovery and extraction of critical minerals, reduce import dependence, and promote self-sufficiency.</p>
<p>Earlier in June, India <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/india-unveils-critical-clean-energy-and-cut-imports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unveiled</a> a list of 30 critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, and nickel. This development is expected to play an important role in formulating the required policies to ensure regulated extraction of these minerals essential for the growth of the renewable energy sector. The country has been depending on imports of such raw materials to develop renewable technologies domestically.</p>
<p>The Geological Survey of India recently handed over exploration reports of REE and lithium blocks to the state governments.</p>
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Union Cabinet Approves Reduced Royalty Rates for Critical Minerals


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					</table><p>Union <a href="https://coal.gov.in/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minister of Coal</a>, <a href="https://mines.gov.in/webportal/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mines</a> &amp; Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, has unveiled India&#8217;s first-ever report on “Critical Minerals for India,” identifying a list of 30 critical minerals, comprising Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Graphite, Cadmium, Silicon, Indium, Tellurium among others imperative for the development of renewables such as electric vehicles and solar.</p>
<p>The list was identified considering resource and reserve position, production, import dependency, future technology, clean energy use, and agricultural requirements.</p>
<p>It is expected to play an important role in executing the required policies to ensure regulated extraction of these minerals essential for the growth of the renewables sector. The country, for now, continues to depend on imports of such raw materials to develop renewable technologies domestically.</p>
<p>Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary Ministry of Mines, stressed the urgency of reevaluating India&#8217;s mineral requirements in light of international commitments to reduce carbon emissions and achieve net-zero targets.</p>
<p>With an increasing focus on energy transition and sustainability, the Ministry acknowledges the need to periodically revisit the critical mineral list to align with evolving demands and emerging technologies.</p>
<p>The report, prepared by an expert team constituted by the Ministry of Mines, comes as a crucial step in India&#8217;s journey towards self-reliance and security in the domain of mineral resources.</p>
<p>The Ministry formed a seven-member committee to identify critical minerals for the country. The committee conducted a three-stage assessment process to determine the list of critical minerals.</p>
<p>In the first stage, the committee studied the critical minerals strategies of various countries and considered 69 elements/minerals that were considered critical by major global economies.</p>
<p>The second stage involved an inter-ministerial consultation to identify minerals critical to specific sectors. Feedback was received from representatives of various ministries and organizations.</p>
<p>The third stage aimed to derive an empirical formula for identifying critical minerals.</p>
<p>The committee consulted with the International Energy Agency (<a href="https://www.iea.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IEA</a>) and adopted the EU methodology, considering economic importance and supply risk factors.</p>
<p>The identified minerals also include Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Hafnium, Molybdenum, Niobium, PGE, Phosphorous, Potash, REE, Rhenium, Strontium, Tantalum,  Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, and Selenium.</p>
<p>The Geological Survey of India (<a href="https://www.gsi.gov.in/webcenter/portal/OCBIS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSI</a>) is currently focused on exploring and assessing these critical and deep-seated minerals.</p>
<p>Minerals like lithium, graphite, cobalt, titanium, and rare earth elements are crucial for various sectors, including high-tech electronics, telecommunications, transport, defense, and the global transition to a low-carbon emissions economy.</p>
<p>India has been recently included as the newest partner in the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP) following Prime Minister Modi&#8217;s recent visit to the United States.</p>
<p>The partnership aims to strengthen critical mineral supply chains, ensuring a steady and secure supply of minerals vital to the nation&#8217;s strategic interests.</p>
<p>The committee also recommended the creation of a Centre of Excellence for Critical Minerals (CECM) within the Ministry of Mines.</p>
<p>The CECM will update the list of critical minerals, develop a critical mineral strategy, and facilitate the development of an effective value chain for critical minerals in the country.</p>
<p>Recently, months after the GSI <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/india-lithium-reserves-in-jammu-kashmir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the discovery of lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir (J&amp;K), officials in the Rajasthan government <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/large-lithium-discovered-in-rajasthan-gsi-officials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that they had discovered lithium in the state.</p>
<p>The Government of India is set to <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/government-to-lithium-reserves-found-in-jk-in-december" target="_blank" rel="noopener">auction</a> the 5.9 million tons of lithium reserves found in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district in December this year.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Gautamee Hazarika</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Gautamee,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Gautamee.</a><br />
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<a href="gautamee@mercomindia.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gautamee@mercomindia.com</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="102" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">Gautamee</a> is a reporter at Mercom India. Prior to Mercom, Gautamee was working as a multimedia news journalist at ThePrint in New Delhi. She has received her Bachelors in English Honors and Masters in English Literature from St.Stephen&#8217;s College, University of Delhi.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">More articles from Gautamee</a></div>
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India Unveils Critical Minerals List to Boost Clean Energy and Cut Imports

<p>The Geological Survey of India (<a href="https://www.gsi.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSI</a>), part of the <a href="https://mines.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Mines</a>, has taken up seven projects for lithium exploration across different states in India. Lithium is the crucial element in manufacturing batteries for phones, electronic devices, and electric vehicles.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/china-leads-lithium-ion-battery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> in Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s (<a href="https://about.bnef.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BNEF</a>) ‘Global Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Ranking,’ Chinese lithium-ion battery manufacturers are likely to retain their recently acquired number one position in the next five years. The U.S. and Sweden may emerge third and fourth by 2025, respectively.</p>
<p>Lithium-bearing minerals fall under Part B ‘Atomic Minerals’ of the First Schedule of the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act, 1957. Their reserves are not available in the National Mineral Inventory.</p>
<p>According to a press release issued by the ministry, the GSI takes up different stages of mineral exploration as per the approved field season program.</p>
<p>Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, GSI carried out 14 projects on Lithium and associated elements in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Karnataka, and Rajasthan.</p>
<p>For 2021-22, GSI has taken up seven projects for Lithium exploration in Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, and Rajasthan.</p>
<p>Apart from the GSI, the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (<a href="https://www.amd.gov.in/app16/index.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMDER</a>) &#8211; a constituent unit of the <a href="https://dae.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Atomic Energy</a> &#8211; has also undertaken exploration for Lithium in potential geological domains in parts of Karnataka and Rajasthan.</p>
<p>AMDER has also taken up subsurface exploration in the Marlagalla area of Mandya district in Karnataka. Reconnaissance surveys have also been carried out along the Saraswati River paleochannel in the Jodhpur and Barmer districts of Rajasthan to locate lithium mineralization associated with brine (saline water in salt lakes).</p>
<p>Preliminary surveys on the surface and limited subsurface exploration by AMDER have shown the presence of 1,600 tonnes of Lithium resources (inferred category) in the pegmatites of Marlagalla – Allapatna area, Mandya district, Karnataka.</p>
<p>However, a joint venture company named ‘Khanij Bidesh India’ has been formed by three Central Public Sector Enterprises with the support of the Ministry of Mines.</p>
<p>These Central Public Sector Enterprises are National Aluminium Company (<a href="https://nalcoindia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NALCO</a>), Hindustan Copper, and Mineral Exploration Corporation with equity participation of 40:30:30 respectively. The purpose of ‘Khanij Bidesh India’ is to acquire mineral assets overseas – primarily critical and strategic minerals including Lithium, Cobalt, and others, excluding rare Earth elements.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://barrelenergyandtech.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barrel Energy</a>, a U.S.-based lithium-ion battery manufacturer, has <a href="https://mercomindia.com/barrel-energy-set-up-battery-manufacturing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> a memorandum of understanding with Hyderabad-based <a href="http://www.roshantechnologies.in/home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roshan Energy Technologies</a> to develop and manufacture lithium-ion batteries in India and North America.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/rahul-nair/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Rahul Nair</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><p>Rahul is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Before entering the world of renewables, Rahul was head of the Gujarat bureau for The Quint. He has also worked for DNA Ahmedabad and Ahmedabad Mirror. Hailing from a banking and finance background, Rahul has also worked for JP Morgan Chase and State Bank of India. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rahul-nair/" rel="noopener noreferrer">More articles from Rahul Nair.</a></p>
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Geological Survey of India Undertakes Seven Projects for Lithium Exploration

<p>The Republic of Tunisia will soon add 500 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) to its energy generation capacity. The <a href="http://www.onm.nat.tn/en/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Energy</a>, Mines and Renewable Energies, Republic of Tunisia, has announced a tender for the development of 500 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects across the country.</p>
<p>The projects will be developed on a build, own, operate model in  five locations in Tunisia. These include the development of 50 MW of solar PV projects in the governorate (province) of Tozeur and the governorate of Sidi Bouzid, 100 MW of solar PV projects in the governorate of Kairouan and the governorate of Gafsa, and another 200 MW solar PV project in the Tataouine governorate (in Borj Bourguiba, Sahara Project).</p>
<p>Interested developers or contractors have been invited to submit their pre-qualification offer. Offers will be evaluated based on developer experience in development, financing, construction, and concession operation of similar solar projects.</p>
<p>This tender is a part of the shift towards renewables in Tunisia.</p>
<p>There have been several financing deals announced recently by development banks to support solar development in the Africa.</p>
<p>Recently, the African Development Bank (<a href="https://www.afdb.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AfDB</a>) <a href="https://mercomindia.com/afdb-loan-renewable-energy-projects/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a $324 million (~₹20.84 billion) in loan support for two renewable energy projects. The projects are being developed in Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire.</p>
<p>The African Development Bank also <a href="https://mercomindia.com/african-development-bank-solar-loan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a $1.5-million grant from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to support the Nigerian government’s implementation of Phase 1 of the Jigawa 1-GW Independent Power Producer (IPP) Solar Procurement Program.</p>
<p>In another <a href="https://mercomindia.com/eib-25-million-loan-energy-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal</a>, The European Investment Bank (<a href="http://www.eib.org/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EIB</a>) announced plans to provide $25 million in financing to low-cost solar power provider D.light design to strengthen energy access in Africa through the installation of solar kits that do not require grid connectivity.</p>
<p>Image credit: Flickr</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Saumy Prateek</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Saumy Prateek</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Saumy Prateek</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="79" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" rel="noopener"><strong>Saumy Prateek, </strong> </a>is a senior staff reporter with MercomIndia.com covering business and energy news since 2016. Prior to Mercom, Saumy was a copy editor at Thomson Reuters. Saumy earned his Bachelors Degree in Journalism &amp; Mass Communication from the Manipal Institute of Communication at Manipal University.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/">More articles from Saumy Prateek.</a></div>
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