New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) The Union Ministry of Mines is organising a roadshow on the 8th Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks and a workshop on the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT) on Monday in Patna, according to an official statement issued on Sunday.
The 8th tranche comprises 20 mineral blocks, including 3 mining leases and 17 composite licence blocks, covering a diverse range of critical and strategic minerals such as graphite, rare earth elements (REE), rare metals, vanadium, gallium, titanium, molybdenum, tungsten, potash, phosphorite, and glauconite, the statement said.
The programme will be chaired by Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey, while Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, state Mines Minister Pramod Kumar, and senior officials of the state government, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), and the Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL) will be present on the occasion. Industry representatives and prospective investors will also participate in the programme.
The roadshow will provide prospective investors and industry stakeholders with an overview of the mineral potential of the blocks on offer, auction framework, bidding process and opportunities for investment and participation in the critical and strategic minerals sector. Detailed presentations will be made by MECL on the mineral blocks, SBICAPS on the mineral auction process and tender document, and MSTC on the e-auction process.
The programme will also include a presentation on the NMEDT Scheme for partial reimbursement of exploration expenses for composite licence holders, followed by an open-house discussion to facilitate interaction with stakeholders and address queries relating to the auction process.
The second half of the programme will feature a workshop on ‘Mineral Exploration: Planning, Execution and Reporting’. The workshop will cover India’s mineral exploration potential, the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR), preparation of exploration blocks using NGDR, and preparation of mineral exploration reports, with technical sessions by senior officers of the GSI.
The initiative reflects the government’s continued efforts to promote exploration, accelerate the development of critical and strategic mineral resources, enhance private-sector participation and strengthen India’s mineral security. It also supports the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by facilitating greater domestic exploration and development of minerals essential for emerging technologies, clean energy and other strategic sectors, the statement added.
–IANS
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