Cold Shoulder for Critical Minerals: Govt Forced to Scrap 9 Auctions

The Ministry of Mines has annulled the auction of nine critical and strategic mineral blocks from its seventh tranche, launched in March 2026, following a weak investor response. Two blocks—the Majhauli Titanium & Vanadium block (Madhya Pradesh) and the RAMB Degana Tungsten & Lithium block (Rajasthan)—received zero bids. The remaining seven blocks across Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha were cancelled because they failed to attract the minimum requirement of three technically qualified bidders. These blocks contain vital deposits of graphite, glauconite, and vanadium-bearing magnetite-ilmenite. While this round originally featured 19 blocks—including debut assets in Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Telangana—nearly half have now been stalled by low market interest.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.