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Informist, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025

 

MUMBAI – The government has shifted barytes, felspar, mica and quartz from the list of minor minerals to the category of major minerals, the Ministry of Mines said in a release on Friday.

 

"This move follows the recent approval of the National Critical Mineral Mission by the Union Cabinet on 29th January, 2025. The Mission envisages exploration and mining of critical minerals within the country including recovery of these minerals from mines of other minerals, overburden and tailings," the release said.

 

Critical minerals have a vital role in various new technologies, energy transition, spacecraft industries, and healthcare, among others, it pointed out.

 

Explaining the rationale behind the move, the release said that when leases of quartz, felspar and mica are granted as minor mineral leases, the lease holders do not declare the existence of critical minerals or extract the critical minerals associated with it. As a result, critical minerals are neither extracted nor reported.

 

In view of the importance of these minerals, the inter-ministerial committee on mines and the minerals sector constituted under the chairmanship of NITI Aayog member V.K. Saraswat had recommended that these minerals be shifted from the list of minor minerals to the category of major minerals.

 

"Once categorised as major minerals, there would be an increase in exploration and scientific mining of these minerals which are an important source of many critical minerals," the ministry said.

 

Moreover, it clarified that the reclassification of minerals barytes, felspar, mica and quartz would not adversely affect the lease period of existing leases. "As major minerals, the leases for these minerals will get extended to a period of 50 years from the date of grant or till the completion of renewal period, if any, whichever is later as per section 8A of the MMDR Act, 1957. These mines will gradually register with the Indian Bureau of Mines and will be regulated as major minerals."

 

The ministry has also given a four-month period up to Jun. 30, for this transition. The revenue from mines of these minerals will continue to accrue to the state government, as earlier, it said.  End

 

IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT

 

Reported by Abhijit Doshi

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

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