Parliamentary panel to discuss India's global critical mineral quest

A parliamentary panel led by Anurag Thakur will meet to discuss India's global critical mineral quest, focusing on KABIL's efforts to source strategic minerals like lithium and cobalt from overseas.

Parliamentary Panel to Review Mineral Strategy

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel is set to meet on Friday in the Parliament Library Building to discuss and recieve inputs from officials on 'India's quest for Global Critical Minerals'. The agenda of the meeting, chaired by Hamirpur MP and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Anurag Thakur, includes oral evidence of the representatives of the Ministry of Mines on the subject 'KABIL: India's quest for Global Critical Minerals' and oral evidence of the representatives of the NITI Aayog on the subject 'KABIL: India's quest for Global Critical Minerals.'

KABIL's Mandate for Securing Strategic Minerals

Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), is a Joint Venture Company among the three Government Enterprises: National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO), Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) and Mineral Exploration & Consultancy Limited (MECL), in the ratio of 40:30:30, under the aegis of Ministry of Mines. The company is mandated "to identify, explore, acquire, develop, mine, process, procure strategic minerals outside India for supplying primarily to India, to meet domestic requirements due to its non or meagre availability in the country and giving a big push to Make in India."

Focus on Lithium, Cobalt Sourcing

KABIL is currently focusing on sourcing Lithium and Cobalt from overseas countries having rich potential of these minerals, by acquisition of mineral assets, or long-term investment in critical mineral and metal projects, through G2G, G2B and B2B engagements based on detail Due diligence, according to Union Ministry of Mines' website. "Active engagement is in progress with the Latin American countries and Australia," the Ministry has said.

Progress in Mineral Block Auctions

Earlier on May 25, Secretary of Ministry of Mines, Piyush Goyal, IAS, chaired the 9th monthly Review Meeting with senior officials of the Ministry and Category-A mineral-bearing States to review the progress of mineral block auctions and operationalisation across the country. The meeting focused on accelerating reforms in the mining sector, enhancing domestic mineral production, and ensuring the timely operationalisation of auctioned mineral blocks.

During the meeting, it was highlighted that since the introduction of the auction regime in 2015, a total of 108 mineral blocks were successfully auctioned during the period from FY 2015-16 to FY 2020-21. The pace of auctions witnessed a significant increase thereafter, with 364 mineral blocks successfully auctioned between FY 2021-22 to FY 2024-25, averaging about 90 blocks per year, according to an official release from the Ministry of Mines.

In FY 2025-26 alone, a record 212 mineral blocks have been successfully auctioned, marking the highest number of mineral block auctions conducted in a single financial year since the commencement of the auction regime. This achievement includes the auction of 22 critical and strategic mineral blocks, reflecting the Government's continued focus on securing critical mineral resources essential for India's economic growth and clean energy transition.

Operationalisation of Auctioned Blocks

The meeting also reviewed the operationalisation status of auctioned blocks. It was informed that during FY 2025-26, a total of 36 mineral blocks, including 28 greenfield blocks and 8 brownfield blocks, have been operationalised as compared to 58 blocks comprising 20 greenfield and 38 brownfield blocks operationalised during the entire period from FY 2015-16 to FY 2024-25. (ANI)

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