Mines

Mine over matter: Critical mineral policy must address industry needs

Creating a responsive enabling environment for the critical mineral mining industry is the key to ensuring that this vital business does not go the way of previous governments' oil exploration policy

Hindustan Copper plans to increase mine production capacity to 12.2 MTPA

State-owned Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) is implementing expansion projects to increase mine production capacity to 12.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), its CMD Ghanshyam Sharma said on Thursday. The move will boost domestic production of copper and reduce dependence on imports. The company achieved ore production of 3.78 million tonnes in FY'24 against 3.35 MT in FY'23, registering a rise of 13 per cent. Speaking during the 57th Annual General Meeting, Sharma who is holding the addition charge of Chairman and Managing Director, said that the ongoing capacity expansion project i.e. development of underground mine below the existing open cast mine at Malanjkhand Copper Project (MCP) will augment the ore production capacity from 2.5 MTPA to 5 MTPA. The ore production from open cast mine has now exhausted and underground mine is operating below existing open cast mine leaving some barrier pillar. The project has achieved seamless transition from open cast to underground mine in 2023-2

Govt held several roadshows for stake sale in Hindustan Zinc: Mines secy

The government has conducted several roadshows in the last 15 days in financial capitals like Mumbai, London, Boston and New York to assess the market and meet investors for sale of its stake in Vedanta Group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd. The government, which owns 29.5 per cent in the company, is the largest minority shareholder in Hindustan Zinc. "The roadshow is about the disinvestment process. So, the government is committed to disinvestment of some of its stake in Hindustan Zinc Ltd and in that to assess the market and meet investors and all that several roadshows have happened in the last fifteen days. "They have happened in Bombay, Singapore, Hongkong, London, Boston, New York. So in all the majors financial capitals the roadshows have happened," Mines Secretary V L Kantha Rao said on the sidelines of a training-cum-workshop on the UNESCO Global Geoparks and Geoparks in India. The government had earlier said that it is committed to offloading its stake in Hindustan Zinc through

Govt makes offshore mineral rules stricter but eases awarding process

The mines ministry has identified 10 offshore mineral blocks for potential auction and is holding inter-ministerial consultation to secure approval

Provisioned, expect limited impact from SC's ruling, say metal majors

Mining industry hit estimated at Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 trillion, companies to closely watch states for next move

Centre to offer financial support to boost critical minerals sector growth

The focus of this initiative is to help find ways to develop extraction technology and better methods of beneficiation

CIL removes all restrictions on coal purchases, demand to dictate supply

Ends nearly 20-year practice of supply based on contracted capacity

JSW Steel to invest $120 mn in Australian miner for raw material security

The investment will be made through wholly owned subsidiary JSW Steel (Netherlands) BV

385 mines auctioned since 2015, only 50 operational; challenges persist

The government said the amendments made in the MMDR Act have led to speedy auction and production from mines

Union Budget 2024: India scraps customs duty on 25 critical minerals

The finance minister added, "I propose to fully exempt customs duties on 25 critical minerals and reduce BCD on two of them"

J&K lithium block fails to secure bids in 2nd attempt as well: Report

The government in February 2023 found its first lithium deposits in Jammu and Kashmir with estimated reserves of 5.9 million metric tons.

Breaking the minerals monopoly

India can draw inspiration from Indonesia's success in nickel to lead globally in critical minerals

Union min G Kishan Reddy holds 1st review meeting of coal, mines ministries

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has reviewed both the coal and mines ministries after taking charge. "Held a detailed review meeting of the Ministry of Mines ( @MinesMinIndia) in New Delhi," he said on Friday in a post on X (formerly known as twitter). Reddy on Thursday took charge as coal and mines minister and said that India should increase domestic production of the fossil-fuel and reduce coal imports. The minister of state for coal and mines Satish Chandra Dubey and other officials of the mines ministry were also present during the meeting. In another post, the minister said, "Chaired 1st review meeting of the Ministry of Coal after taking charge in New Delhi." Reddy on Thursday told reporters that India should increase domestic coal production and reduce import of fossil fuel. India's coal import rose by 7.7 per cent to 268.24 million tonnes (MT) in FY '24. Reddy further said 10 years ago there was a coal shortage in the country and due to this there was also a shortage of ..

India looks at Russia to secure rare mineral mining tech, partnership

Collaboration part of broader strategy to attract investment, foster cooperation in mineral exploration

Dependency on minerals import risks India's green tech progress: ICRA

According to the report, there has been a gradual shift in global energy policy priorities from fuel and energy security to mineral security

Mines ministry asks Coal India, NMDC to look for lithium mines overseas

Ministry will lead a delegation to Zambia in June and later to Congo to explore joint ventures in critical minerals

All 15 workers rescued from copper mine in Rajasthan, 1 feared dead

Fourteen officials and members of a vigilance team of PSU Hindustan Copper Limited were trapped in a mine in Rajasthan's Neem ka Thana district on Tuesday night when a vertical shaft used for transportation of personnel collapsed, police said. Praveen Nayak, Superintendent of Police of Neem ka Thana district, said that a rescue team has reached the trapped personnel and some of them could be injured. Efforts are on to bring out the personnel who are stuck at a depth of several hundred metres at the Kolihan mine, the police said. According to preliminary information, the incident occurred when the vigilance team along with senior officials of the state-owned company went inside the mine for an inspection. When they were about to come up, a rope of the shaft or 'cage' broke due to which around 14 people were stuck, the police said. Khetri MLA Dharmpal Gurjar reached the site and took stock of the situation. Neem ka Thana district is around 108 km from state capital Jaipur.

India to become leader in offshore mining as govt amends legislation

India will become the leader in offshore mining as not many countries have done much in this area, a government official said on Tuesday. Offshore mining is the process of retrieving mineral deposits from the deep seabed, at a depth of more than 200 metres. Speaking at the Critical Minerals Summit here, Joint Secretary in Ministry of Mines, Veena Kumari D said the government has amended the offshore mining legislation. "We have done amendment to the Act for offshore mining and we are working on the rules for that and India will be the leader in offshore mining because not many countries have done much of offshore mining and we were working on it since August 2023," she added. Mines Secretary V L Kantha Rao in his address on Monday had said that the auction of offshore mines will begin in three months' time. The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 has been amended to provide an auction route for awarding production leases for offshore minerals. "Currentl

EC's prior nod must for Goa mines dept to execute lease deed: Officials

Goa poll authorities have said it was binding on the state mines department to obtain prior permission of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to execute a lease deed during the period of the model code of conduct (MCC). State Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Masurkar said this in a letter written to the ECI on Wednesday after an NGO complained that the Goa government and Vedanta Limited signed a lease deed on March 22 for the commencement of mining operations. This amounted to violation of the MCC, the Goa Foundation (NGO) claimed. The MCC came into effect on March 16 with the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls. Masurkar on Wednesday wrote to the ECI's principal secretary, claiming the reply filed by the state Directorate of Mines and Geology is "not satisfactory." "The reply filed by the Directorate of Mines and Geology is examined by this office and the same is found not satisfactory," the letter said. "It is observed that the mining lease deed executed by the Depar

Rajasthan's mines department plans to increase revenue during FY25

To implement the strategy, Mines Secretary Anandi recently met the director, Bhagwati Prasad Kalal, and all field officers of the mines and geology department virtually