Mining

'Mining CSR must sync with national priorities for sustainability'

CSR initiatives in mining, metals and infrastructure sectors will fail to drive long-term transformation unless aligned with national priorities and communities take ownership of welfare programmes, experts warned, underscoring the need for deeper local engagement amid rising scrutiny on sustainable development. This comes as India accelerates critical minerals exploration and infrastructure under Atmanirbhar Bharat to secure supply chains for EVs, renewables, and defence, with CSR spending surpassing Rs 15,000 crore yearly in these sectors. "The mandated 2 per cent CSR spending must be matched with 100 per cent accountability if welfare initiatives are to create sustainable and measurable outcomes. Ultimately, CSR is a collective and cumulative social responsibility (CSR). The challenge today is not resources or policy, it is ownership at scale," said Pavan Kaushik, sustainability and CSR advisor for sectors like mining, metals and infrastructure. CSR in the mining sector must alig

India operationalises 101 auctioned mineral blocks since 2015, says govt

The Mines Ministry said FY26 recorded the highest annual mineral block auctions, with 212 blocks auctioned under the regime introduced in 2015

Vedanta demerger: What it signals for India's metals and mining sector

As Vedanta splits into independent verticals, the move signals India's evolving mining sector, focused on supply chain control, critical minerals, and specialised companies

India-Zambia talks on critical minerals stall over mining rights concerns

The exploration programme in Zambia was set to run for three years, after which New Delhi had planned to invite private sector companies to participate, subject to securing mining rights

Odisha loses ₹4,162 crore to iron ore undervaluation, steps up checks

State reports Rs 4,162 crore loss due to ore undervaluation, introduces AI-driven monitoring and stricter rules to curb misreporting and improve transparency in mining

India's IIP growth eases to a three-month low of 4.8% in January

India's industrial output growth slowed to 4.8% in January, a three-month low, as manufacturing, mining and electricity softened, though several segments continued to post healthy gains

Mines ministry notifies rules to curb illegal offshore mineral mining

The new framework mandates real-time vessel tracking, digital transit permits and prior export clearances, and introduces stringent penalties, including jail terms, to prevent illegal offshore mineral

Three killed, two injured as clay mine collapses in MP's Singrauli district

Three persons, including two girls, were killed and two others seriously injured when a clay mine collapsed while they were extracting clay in Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli district on Sunday, police said. The incident occurred in Parsohar village under the Kundwar outpost within the jurisdiction of the Jiawan police station, about 70 kilometres from the district headquarters, they said. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Gayatri Tiwari said that five persons, including two girls, had gone to extract "chuit mitti" from a clay mine when it collapsed, burying them. He said that Preeti Singh (10), Basanti (16) and Phulmati Yadav (50) died on the spot, while Kaushalya Singh (50) and Sakmuni Singh (45) were seriously injured. Both injured women have been admitted to the Devsar Community Hall for treatment, added the official. People in rural areas paint their houses with chui mitti, which is usually white.

Aaditya Thackeray urges Centre to reject mining in Tiger Reserve corridor

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has urged the Centre to reject proposed mining projects in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve corridor in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district, saying these projects will "inflict unchecked ecological damage". In a letter to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, Thackeray said these projects are detrimental to both the forests they are located in as well as the wildlife that inhabits these forests. "In the first week of January, Maharashtra's State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) approved mining projects in Lohardongari near the Ghodazari Wildlife Sanctuary and Marki-Mangli in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve corridor," Thackeray said. It has also come to notice that certain members of the SBWL voiced their concerns and opposed these projects but were unfortunately overruled by the chair. The expected output from these projects is relatively low compared to the unchecked ecological damage they will inflict. ...

China's 5,600 m mining leap: Inside the world's highest unmanned site

China is developing the world's highest unmanned mine in Xinjiang, using driverless trucks to work safely at 5,600m, where low oxygen and rough terrain make human work risky

Centre files curative plea in SC over states' right to levy mining cess

The Centre has approached the Supreme Court with a curative plea against the ruling that allowed states to levy a cess on mining lands, warning of international implications and strain on the federal

BEML, Italy's Tesmec ink pact to introduce surface miner equipment in India

State-owned BEML on Friday said it has joined hands with Italy's Tesmec, S.p.A to introduce surface miner equipment for mining operations in the country. Surface miner equipment refers to heavy machinery used in open-cast mining operation. This includes surface miners, which cut and crush rock and soil without drilling or blasting. Other types of surface mining equipment include draglines, bucket-wheel excavators, blasthole drills, dozers, and large mining trucks. In a filing to the BSE, the company said, "BEML Ltd and Tesmec, S.p.A Italy have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), for introducing surface miner equipment by BEML for mining application." Being India's leading mining and construction equipment manufacturer, BEML offers a comprehensive and diverse range of mining machinery for both opencast and underground mines. BEML produces machines such as hydraulic excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, wheel dozers, dump trucks, motor graders, pipe layers, tyre handl

Govt puts in place timelines to expedite ops of auctioned mineral blocks

The government on Sunday said it has amended the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015 to introduce timelines for different activities after the auction of mineral blocks to expedite their operations. The amendment has put in place milestones between the issuance of the letter of intent and the execution of mining leases, with imposing of penalties for delays and giving incentives for early production. The move aims at improving monitoring across the stages of mine development and preventing bidders from sitting on the blocks without beginning the operations. "As the latest step in its endeavour to fast-track operationalisation, the Ministry of Mines has notified amendment to the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015 on October 17, 2025 introducing intermediary timelines for various activities to be completed after issue of Letter of Intent till execution of mining lease," an official statement said. Under the amended rules, approval of the mining plan should happen within six months, environmenta

ONGC to invest ₹8,110 cr to develop 172 onshore wells in Andhra Pradesh

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is set to invest Rs 8,110 crore for onshore development and production of oil and gas from 172 wells in eight PML (petroleum mining lease) blocks in Andhra Pradesh. A committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recommended Environmental Clearance for the project in a meeting held last month. The estimated project cost is Rs 8110 crore. Capital cost of EMP (Environment Management Plan) would be Rs. 172 crore and recurring cost for EMP would be Rs. 91.16 Crores per annum. Industry proposes to allocate Rs. 11 crores for commitments made in Public Hearing, Expert Appraisal Committee said in the minutes of the meeting. While recommending the EC, the committee directed the ONGC to comply with all the environmental protection measures and safeguards proposed in the documents submitted to the Ministry. All the recommendations made in the EIA/EMP in respect of environmental management, and risk mitigation measures

How China's 500kW antenna is giving it a clear lead in the mineral race

China is using its massive 500kW electromagnetic antenna, originally for submarines, to detect hidden lithium, cobalt, gold, and rare earths, boosting its lead in global mineral exploration

Centre drops public consultation for atomic and critical mineral mining

The environment ministry has exempted mining of atomic, critical, and strategic minerals from public consultations, citing national defence, security, and strategic requirements

A tepid start: India's critical mineral block auctions see weak response

In these auctions, the government grants two types of concessions: a mining lease allows the winning bidder to directly undertake mining operations

Critical mineral blocks auction: A snapshot of the progress so far

Since the launch of auctions for critical minerals in 2023, the government has offered 81 blocks across five tranches

Vedanta board approves second interim dividend of ₹16 per share for FY26

Mining major Vedanta Ltd on Thursday said its board has approved the second interim dividend of Rs 16 per share for the current fiscal, amounting to an outgo of Rs 6,256 crore. The company had earlier announced a dividend of Rs 7 per share in June this year. The first dividend had led to an outflow of Rs 2,737 crore. "The board of directors of Vedanta Ltd at its meeting held today...has considered and approved the second interim dividend of Rs 16 per equity share on face value of Re 1 per equity share for financial year 2025-26 amounting to Rs 6,256 crore," the company said in a filing to BSE. The record date for the payment of dividend will be August 27, 2025, it said. Vedanta had announced a total dividend of Rs 43.50 per share in last financial year.

IREL seeks Japan, South Korea partnerships for rare earth magnet production

The miner aims to formalise talks with other countries on rare earth mining and technology partnerships and plans to seek IREL board approval for commercial magnet production this year, source said