Single-window clearance portal for mining projects likely by Dec

The Centre is planning to intensify advance-level exploration of critical mineral blocks before putting them for auction, a move which seeks to boost investor confidence and comes against the backdrop of miners’ lukewarm response received during different tranches of auctions recently.

- SAKET KUMAR

The government is also planning to launch a single-window clearance portal for mining projects by December, which will expedite the mining project execution, including that of critical minerals, said a senior official.

“The mines ministry is working towards ensuring an advanced level of exploration (G2) before critical mineral blocks are put up for auction,” the official said. “Higher level of exploration is a costly exercise, but it will be done to boost industry confidence in the availability of critical minerals,” he added.

The move aims to address concerns among companies about the limited exploration of blocks being put up for auction. Critical minerals power clean energy technologies, from silicon in solar panels and rare earths in wind turbines to lithium, nickel, and cobalt in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, driving India’s renewable energy ambitions. After China’s curb, India has been trying to expedite the process to find critical minerals.

The stages

Mineral deposits are explored in four steps — Reconnaissance (G4), Preliminary (G3), General (G2), and Detailed (G1).

Each step gives more information and confidence about the mineral’s quantity and quality, corresponding to four resource categories including Reconnaissance (low confidence), Inferred (low but improvable), Indicated (moderate), and Measured (high confidence).

Based on exploration, the government grants licences.