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Mining and minerals

The mining economy: how minerals are auctioned, mined and paid for.

Showing 2 of 3 articles, those that changed from 1 to 30 September 2026.Show all

Lithium blocks abroad

Prelims 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.

UPSC has asked

Prelims 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).

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.
The Indian Express, 29 Sep 2026: Where did funds for mining areas go in Odisha? DM residence, stadium, school events (opens in a new tab)

UPSC has asked

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.