Critical Minerals Auction: Vedanta, Jindal Power, Ola Participate

New Delhi, Feb 29 (PTI) Mining major Vedanta, Jindal Power and state-owned NLC India are among the players which participated in the first tranche of the auction of critical minerals, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday.

A total of 56 bids were received for 20 critical and strategic blocks put on auction in the first tranche launched in November 2023, the minister told reporters after the lunch of the second tranche of the auction of critical and strategic minerals.

Around 180 enquiries came from interested parties and 56 bids have been received from companies like Vedanta, NLC, Shree Cement, Dalmia, and Jindal Power, he said.

The list includes a number of EV players also like Ola Electric, he said.

In the first tranche, 20 mineral blocks including lithium were put on auction. Of these 16 have been put up for grant of composite licence and four for grant of mining lease.