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हिन्दी — Read in HindiMining and minerals
The mining economy: how minerals are auctioned, mined and paid for.
All 3 articles shown; the 1 that changed from 1 to 31 July 2026 are marked.Show only these
Critical mineral block auctions
Copy link to Critical mineral block auctionsPrelims and Mains
The Centre auctions blocks of critical minerals in tranches under the mining law amended in 2023, offering rare earths, lithium, graphite, vanadium, tungsten and potash among others.
What changed
15 Jul 2026BriefThe eighth tranche includes blocks of rare earths, vanadium, gallium, graphite, tungsten and potash, and one block in West Bengal with lithium, caesium and rubidium. PIB, 15 Jul 2026: Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy and Minister of State Shri Satish Chandra Dubey Launch the Eighth Tranche of Auction of 20 Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks (opens in a new tab)
See also: Critical minerals
Lithium blocks abroad
Copy link to Lithium blocks abroadPrelims and Mains
Lithium blocks abroad are lithium bearing ground in other countries that India buys into, through KABIL, Khanij Bidesh India Limited.
- The surest way to be certain of lithium is to hold the ground it lies in.
- KABIL is a joint venture of the National Aluminium Company, Hindustan Copper and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy, and it already holds five blocks in Argentina.
- Argentina, Bolivia and Chile form the lithium triangle, the salt flats that hold most of the world's brine lithium.
- Australia mines lithium from hard rock.
What changed
11 Sep 2026
- India said it was in talks to acquire lithium blocks in Australia and Chile and was seeking five more in Argentina.
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2025: countries and resources, including Chile and lithium
District Mineral Foundations
Copy link to District Mineral FoundationsPrelims and Mains
A District Mineral Foundation (DMF) is a district level body that spends on the welfare of areas and people affected by mining.
- It is funded by contributions from holders of mining leases.
- Foundations were set up after the 2015 amendment of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.
- Their spending follows the guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY).
What changed
29 Sep 2026New
- An audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General found irregular spending of foundation money in Odisha.
- The money went, among other things, to a hockey stadium that the audit held to be of little use to people affected by mining.
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2016: the purpose of District Mineral Foundations
Also filed elsewhere
- Critical minerals · on Critical minerals and rare earths
A mineral is called critical when an economy and its armed forces cannot do without it and the supply can be cut, which is a judgement about politics as much as geology.
- Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 and the States' power to tax minerals · on Fiscal federalism (home in Economy, pointer here)
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 limits what States may levy on minerals.