New Delhi: Ministry of Mines organized a National Workshop and Roadshow on the Exploration Licence (EL) regime and the upcoming Tranche-1 Auction of EL blocks at The Ambassador Hotel, today. The workshop served as a vital platform for engaging with stakeholders, fostering awareness, and sharing in-depth information on the policy, technical, and procedural aspects of the EL regime introduced under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023.
Delivering the keynote address Secretary, Ministry of Mines, V.L. Kantha Rao highlighted the transformative potential of the EL regime in unlocking India’s deep-seated and critical mineral reserves. He noted that the policy marks a shift from passive ownership to active exploration, empowering private entities to undertake large-scale early-stage exploration for minerals like Lithium, REEs, Gold, Diamond, and PGEs.
To provide an overview of the Exploration Licence framework and its regulatory features, Shri Mustaq Ahmad, Director, Ministry of Mines, presented a detailed session on how the regime fosters private sector participation, facilitates advanced technologies, and creates a strong pipeline of mineral assets essential for India’s growth.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) presented a technical snapshot of the EL blocks identified for Tranche-1 auction, based on preliminary reconnaissance. S.K. Basir, Deputy Director General, GSI, outlined the geological potential of the blocks across ten states and emphasized their strategic importance.
To demystify the auction process, Lovesh Singla, Vice President, SBI Capital Markets, explained the transparent e-auction methodology, eligibility criteria, and structure of the tender documents. This was followed by a walkthrough of the MSTC portal by Shri Setu D Sharma, Senior Manager, MSTC, highlighting the digital systems in place to ensure secure, real-time, and efficient bidding.
Further, Sebabrata Das, Senior Geologist, National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), introduced the financial support scheme available for EL holders under which partial reimbursement of eligible exploration expenses will be provided, reducing risk and encouraging higher participation.
Concluding the workshop, Sanjay Lohiya, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines, reaffirmed the government’s vision to enable a competitive, technology-driven, and investment-friendly exploration ecosystem. He emphasized the need for collaboration between public and private players and urged all stakeholders to actively participate in the auction process.
Participants were also briefed on key auction timelines: the pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 22, 2025; the last date for submission of queries is April 30, 2025; tender documents are available for purchase until May 16, 2025; and bid submissions will close on May 26, 2025.
The workshop was attended by representatives from Central and State governments, PSUs, industry associations, exploration firms, and investors, reinforcing the Ministry’s commitment to fostering an informed and transparent exploration regime in India.