On 15 July 2026 the Centre launched the eighth tranche of auctions for 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks; tender sale opened 15 July and closes 14 September 2026, with technical bids due 21 September 2026.
Blocks and location
- Quantity and states: 20 blocks across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal.
- New vs re‑offered: 13 newly identified blocks; 7 re‑offered from earlier tranches.
Minerals included
- Types: rare earth elements, lithium, graphite, tungsten and vanadium.
- End‑uses: batteries (lithium, graphite), permanent magnets (rare earths), alloys and refractories (tungsten, vanadium), energy storage and defence applications.
Auction framework and timelines
- Schedule: tender sale 15 Jul–14 Sep 2026; technical bids by 21 Sep 2026.
- Legal basis: Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2026 govern competitive bidding within the MMDR Act regime.
- Progress metric: 56 of 88 critical mineral blocks offered so far have been auctioned (~63% success rate).
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Rare earths: 17 elements; neodymium and dysprosium critical for high‑performance magnets.
- Lithium ores: commonly recovered from spodumene and brines; essential for Li‑ion cells.
- Graphite: natural and synthetic grades; primary anode material for Li‑ion batteries.
- Tungsten & vanadium: tungsten — high melting point, hardening additions; vanadium — alloying element and redox flow battery candidate.