India’s First Exploration Licence Auction Launched in Goa
ECONOMY & POLICY

India’s First Exploration Licence Auction Launched in Goa

In a historic move, the Ministry of Mines, in collaboration with the Government of Goa, has launched India’s first-ever auction of Exploration Licences (ELs). The landmark event, graced by Union Minister for Coal & Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, and Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, marks a significant reform in India’s mineral exploration sector, aimed at unlocking critical and deep-seated mineral resources.

Alongside this, the 5th Tranche of Auction of Critical Mineral Blocks was inaugurated, along with the launch of AI Hackathon 2025, focused on ‘Mineral Targeting using AI’.

13 Exploration Licence Blocks were put up for auction, covering critical minerals such as:

Rare Earth Elements (REE) Zinc Diamond Copper Platinum Group Elements (PGE)

This transparent online bidding process is designed to: Accelerate systematic mineral exploration Enhance private sector participation Reduce import dependency

Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy: "For the first time, India is introducing a structured and transparent auction process for early-stage exploration. This reform will boost investor confidence, accelerate critical mineral discoveries, and pave the way for a self-reliant mineral ecosystem aligned with India’s clean energy and industrial ambitions."

Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant: "Goa has a rich mining legacy, and we are committed to responsible, technology-driven mineral development. These reforms will unlock India’s mineral potential while ensuring sustainable mining practices."

In a historic move, the Ministry of Mines, in collaboration with the Government of Goa, has launched India’s first-ever auction of Exploration Licences (ELs). The landmark event, graced by Union Minister for Coal & Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, and Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, marks a significant reform in India’s mineral exploration sector, aimed at unlocking critical and deep-seated mineral resources. Alongside this, the 5th Tranche of Auction of Critical Mineral Blocks was inaugurated, along with the launch of AI Hackathon 2025, focused on ‘Mineral Targeting using AI’. 13 Exploration Licence Blocks were put up for auction, covering critical minerals such as: Rare Earth Elements (REE) Zinc Diamond Copper Platinum Group Elements (PGE) This transparent online bidding process is designed to: Accelerate systematic mineral exploration Enhance private sector participation Reduce import dependency Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy: For the first time, India is introducing a structured and transparent auction process for early-stage exploration. This reform will boost investor confidence, accelerate critical mineral discoveries, and pave the way for a self-reliant mineral ecosystem aligned with India’s clean energy and industrial ambitions. Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant: Goa has a rich mining legacy, and we are committed to responsible, technology-driven mineral development. These reforms will unlock India’s mineral potential while ensuring sustainable mining practices.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Vedanta Metal Bazaar Expands to Global Markets

Vedanta Aluminium has expanded its digital e-commerce platform, Vedanta Metal Bazaar, to international markets, enabling overseas customers to order and purchase aluminium products online.The platform will now be available to buyers across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, providing a digital gateway for export transactions with 24x7 access.In FY26, Vedanta Metal Bazaar processed transactions worth nearly $4.1 billion, or over Rs 380 billion, and fulfilled more than 23,000 orders. The platform is also used regularly by more than 550 MSMEs in India alongside large OEM customers.The export ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Ramky Infrastructure Q1 FY27 Revenue Rises 24.3%

Ramky Infrastructure Limited reported a 24.3% year-on-year increase in consolidated revenue from operations to Rs 471.2 crore for Q1 FY27, compared with Rs 3.79 billion in the corresponding quarter of FY26.Standalone revenue from operations rose 27.5% YoY to Rs 4.51 billion from Rs 3.54 billion, while total standalone income increased 35% to Rs 5.32 billion.Consolidated profit before tax stood at Rs 540.9 million during the quarter. The company highlighted a sharp sequential improvement compared with a pre-exceptional loss of Rs 190.1 million in Q4 FY26.Two of the three projects awarded during..

Next Story
Technology

LTTS Launches AgenticIQ AI Platform for Engineering

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) has launched AgenticIQ, an end-to-end agentic AI platform designed for engineering and manufacturing organisations.The platform is aimed at helping enterprises move beyond isolated AI pilots by enabling autonomous, multi-agent workflows across engineering, product development, manufacturing, industrial operations and customer experience.AgenticIQ is built on LTTS’ Engineering Intelligence portfolio and converts existing engineering capabilities into specialised, reusable AI agents. Its planning-first architecture is embedded into engineering and production ..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement