Government initiates e-auction for 7 vital mineral blocks

02 Apr 2024 CW Team

The Ministry of Mines has announced that May 16 will be the final day for the sale of tender documents for participating in the e-auction of seven critical mineral blocks under the tranche III round. It was also specified that the deadline for submitting the documents would be May 21.

It was clarified by the Ministry that these seven blocks were part of the 11 blocks from a previous auction that was canceled due to having less than three Technically Qualified Bidders (TQB).

Moreover, the e-auction process for 18 blocks under tranche II is currently underway. The closing date for the sale of Tender Document is set for May 10, 2024, and the deadline for submitting bids is May 15.

Furthermore, it was stated by the ministry that the second round of e-auctions for six blocks has been successfully concluded as per schedule. A decision regarding the Kundol Nickel and Chromium Block of Gujurat will be made by the designated officer at the appropriate time.

Critical minerals, including lithium, chromium, nickel, graphite, cobalt, titanium, and rare earth elements (REE), are crucial for India's economic progress and national security. At present, the extraction of these minerals is largely controlled by a few countries, notably China, which renders the supply chain susceptible to geopolitical uncertainties.

These critical minerals are indispensable for various sectors such as electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy, defense, high-tech telecommunications, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and the establishment of gigafactories. The demand for these minerals is significant and is primarily met through imports.

Infrastructure Urban

10 Mar 2026

ABB to Invest Rs 6.25 Billion to Expand India Manufacturing

ABB recently announced plans to invest approximately Rs 6.25 billion ($75 million) in India during 2026 to expand its manufacturing footprint and research and development capabilities. The investment follows more than $35 million spent in 2025 and reflects the company’s continued focus on strengthening its ‘local-for-local’ strategy in the country.The investment will support ABB’s Electrification, Motion and Automation businesses and expand manufacturing capacity for infrastructure sectors such as renewable energy, metro rail, data centres and industrial applications. Approximately 300..

Six WOLFF Cranes Handle 60,000 m³ Concrete for German Hospital

Six WOLFF tower cranes are playing a key role in constructing a new hospital complex in Memmingen, Germany, supporting large-scale material handling for the project. The facility is being built on a 7.7-hectare site and will feature six floors, around 480 beds and a gross floor area exceeding 75,000 sq m.Building shell works began recently in February 2025. One WOLFF 6531.12 Cross crane supported early site preparation before being dismantled in autumn 2025, while five remaining cranes continue operations. Over an average deployment period of 16 months, the cranes are expected to move approxim..

REC Funds Rs 115.6 Million CSR Support for Bihar Eye Hospital

REC recently committed Rs 115.6 million under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for the procurement of clinical and non-clinical equipment at Sankara Eye Hospital in Saharsa, Bihar. The initiative aims to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve access to specialised eye care services in the region.A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was recently signed between Pradeep Fellows, Executive Director (CSR), REC Limited, and Wg Cdr V. Shankar (Retd), Trustee and Executive Director of Sankara Eye Hospital, at the REC office in the SCOPE Complex, New Delhi.The support is expecte..