Govt launches 2nd round of critical, strategic mineral blocks auction

The first round of auctions was launched in November last year, in a move to drive the nation's clean energy push

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India launched the second part of its critical minerals auction worth an estimated 30 trillion rupees (about $362 billion), the country's mines minister Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday.
 

A total of 18 blocks of critical and strategic minerals, including graphite, tungsten, vanadium, cobalt and nickel, among others, will be auctioned across eight states across the country, a government statement said.
 

Seventeen mineral blocks have been put up for a composite license, while one block is for a mining lease, it added. A composite license includes a license to examine a block and mine it afterwards.
 

Mineral blocks are being auctioned in the central Indian states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, and the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
 

Arunachal Pradesh in the east and Rajasthan in the west are also on the list.
 

The first round of auctions waslaunched in November last year, in a move to drive the country's clean energy push.
 

Watch: 2nd tranche of auction of critical and strategic mineral block