Parliament Question: Critical Minerals Reserves

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2978 ANSWERED ON 05.08.2026 CRITICAL MINERALS RESERVES

2978. SHRI ADITYA YADAV:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the concrete domestic exploration outcomes, geographic mappings and estimated reserves discovered for critical and strategic minerals like Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel and Graphite across the country;

(b) the details of international joint ventures, asset acquisitions and commercial bilateral agreements secured through Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) to protect India's supply security;

(c) the details of policy incentives offered to private exploration agencies to accelerate the mining of deep-seated critical minerals and the total private investment attracted so far; and

(d) the roadmap to minimise reliance on aggressive foreign imports particularly from geopolitical monopolists for minerals vital to India's Electric Vehicle (EV) and green tech transitions? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY)

(a): The detail of resources augmented for Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel and Graphite across the country, through exploration projects undertaken by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and funded by National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT), are placed at Annexure.

(b): Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) has signed an Exploration and Development Agreement with CAMYEN, a state-owned enterprise of Catamarca province of Argentina, for exploration and mining of 05 Lithium Brine Blocks in Argentina covering an area of 15703 Hectares. Further, KABIL has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Critical Mineral Office, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, Government of Australia for co-operation in the field of mining & processing of critical and strategic minerals.

(c): NMEDT has launched the following initiatives to strengthen the private sector participation in mineral exploration in the country including critical and strategic

minerals:-(i) 100% funding for mineral exploration projects of Notified Private Exploration Agencies.

(ii) The holders of Exploration Licence (EL), granted through auction, can claim up to 50% of the direct cost on exploration within a ceiling of ₹20 Crore.

(iii) The holders of Composite Licenses (CL), granted through auction, can claim up to 50% of direct cost on exploration within a ceiling of ₹8 crore.

(iv) Partial reimbursement of up to 50% within a ceiling of ₹300 crore, to CL holders for eligible exploration expenditure on approved offshore exploration activities within CL blocks.

(v) Exploration incentive of 25% of the approved projects cost of the G4 items for critical, strategic and deep-seated minerals to the exploration agencies if the block is successfully auctioned or upgraded to G3 stage.

(d): In order to minimise reliance on foreign imports of minerals vital to India's electric vehicle and green tech transitions and to strengthen the supply chain of critical and strategic minerals, the following steps have been taken by the government:-

(i) National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) has been launched in 2025 with an aim to secure a long-term sustainable supply of critical minerals and strengthen country’s critical mineral value chains encompassing all stages from mineral exploration and mining to beneficiation, processing and recycling through recovery from end-of-life products.

(ii) Critical and strategic mineral exploration projects across the country have been increasingly taken up by GSI from 195 in field season 2024-25 to 300 in field season 2026-27. Funding by NMEDT for critical and strategic mineral exploration projects also increased from 62 projects in 2024-25 to 84 projects in 2025-26.

(iii) The government has so far successfully auctioned 56 blocks of critical minerals and 06 Exploration License (EL) blocks for critical minerals in the country.

(iv) The government has launched an Incentive Scheme of ₹1,500 crore in October, 2025 to develop recycling capacity for the separation and production of critical minerals from secondary sources.

(v) Guidelines have been issued in November, 2025 for funding Pilot Projects for recovery of critical minerals from overburden/ tailings/ fly ash/ Red mud etc.

(vi) Under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 amended in 2025, the scope of NMEDT has been expanded to support critical mineral exploration and mining overseas. The "Overseas Mineral Exploration Promotion Guidelines" have been circulated in July 2026 to promote Indian public and private sector entities to undertake mineral exploration in overseas jurisdictions.

*****Annexure Details of resources augmented for Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel and Graphite through exploration projects undertaken by GSI and funded by NMEDT Sl. State (Area) where major resource of critical and Commodity Resource No. strategic minerals augmented (in million tonne) Jammu & Kashmir (Salal-Haimna, Kotla) 1 Rajasthan (Rewat Hill) Lithium 10.88 Rajasthan (Ladera) Andhra Pradesh (Gumpamkonda, Gadabavalasa, 2 Mandiravalasa) Cobalt 1.8 Karnataka (Tarlaghatta) Odisha (Adash, Dudhiasol East) Karnataka (Banasandra, Rangapura) 3 Nagaland (Mollen) Nickel 5.18 Kerala (Palakkad) Andhra Pradesh (Chinnagalikonda-Potavaram, Utla) Madhya Pradesh (Tikara-Chiklar & Gowthana, Golighat, Bahera-Goriara) Arunachal Pradesh (Radhpu, Phop, Pakro, Kugitao- Miya, Daba Gamlin) Chhattisgarh (Oranga-Revatipur, Dindo, Belkurta, Basera, Nawadih) Jharkhand (Budhiyabagi, Adhmaniya, Karma, Uchri, Siuri) 4 Graphite 127.16 Odisha (Rampali, Adash, Dandapani, Uchhabapalli- Thakurpalli, Tumandi, Larambha, Kanaital, Pudapadar, Bharatbhal,Salepali, Hardatal, Tamiya, Rengali, Babja, Biarpalli, Lamer Panga, Thapen, Bazargarh, Kanapulisi, Naringapanga) Rajasthan (Harmara West, Dukwara) Tamil Nadu (Arasanur, Arasanur-East) West Bengal (Ranibadh)