The Ministry of Mines organized a roadshow in Raipur, Chhattisgarh on August 31, 2026, for the 8th Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks. The event was attended by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai as Chief Guest, along with Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey, Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, and CMDC Chairman Saurabh Singh, along with senior officials and industry representatives.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai emphasized Chhattisgarh's rich mineral resources and the state's important role in India's mining and industrial development, committing to facilitate investment and create a conducive environment for sustainable mineral development. MoS Satish Chandra Dubey highlighted the strategic importance of critical minerals for India's economic growth, clean energy transition, and emerging technologies, stressing the need to accelerate exploration and development.
Secretary Keshav Chandra of the Ministry of Mines provided key statistics: 56 of the 88 Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks offered so far have been successfully auctioned. The current 8th Tranche comprises 20 blocks (17 Composite Licence and 3 Mining Lease) across nine states, covering minerals including Graphite, Rare Earth Elements, Rare Metals, Vanadium, Gallium, Titanium, Molybdenum, Tungsten, Potash, Phosphorite, and Glauconite. Five of these blocks are located in Chhattisgarh.
Joint Secretary Sandeep Kadam emphasized the need to move beyond mining towards processing, refining, and value addition, along with faster operationalization of auctioned blocks. The technical session included presentations on the NMEDT Scheme for Partial Reimbursement of Exploration Expenses for Composite Licence Holders, detailed briefings on the mineral blocks and their potential, the auction process and tender documentation, and the e-auction process.
Following the roadshow, a review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Secretary Keshav Chandra with mineral block allottees and preferred bidders to accelerate early operationalization of allocated blocks. Officials from the Ministry of Mines and Government of Chhattisgarh reviewed progress, discussed challenges, and provided guidance for timely resolution of implementation issues.