The government has cancelled the auction of three critical mineral blocks, including a lithium mine in Jammu and Kashmir, due to insufficient bidder participation. This auction was part of the government's initiative to promote cleaner energy alternatives and enhance self-reliance in critical mineral supplies. The cancelled blocks are: 1. Salal-Haimna Lithium, Titanium, and Bauxite (Aluminous Laterite) Block in Jammu and Kashmir 2. Muskaniya-Gareriatola-Barwari Potash Block in Jharkhand 3. Kurunjakulam Graphite Block in Tamil Nadu According to a notice by the Mines Ministry, the auction was annulled as the "required number of bids as per the mineral auction rules have not been received." On March 14, the ministry had put seven critical mineral blocks up for sale in the third round of auctions. These blocks, which did not meet the minimum bid requirements in the first tranche, included Glauconite, Graphite, Nickel, PGE, Potash, Lithium, and Titanium, spanning across Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Last month, the government also cancelled the auction of 14 blocks of critical minerals in the second tranche due to a lacklustre response. Similarly, in the first tranche, the auction for 13 of the 20 blocks was annulled for the same reason. In an effort to attract more interest, the government launched the fourth round of auctions last month, offering 21 mines across several states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. Among these, 11 are new blocks, containing minerals such as Graphite, Glauconite, Phosphorite, Potash, Nickel, PGE, Phosphate, and Rare Earth Elements (REE). This on going effort underscores the government's commitment to securing critical mineral resources essential for the country's transition to cleaner energy and technological advancements. (Source:ET)
