GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MINES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4042
ANSWERED ON 12.08.2026
LATERITE AS MINOR MINERAL
4042. SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:
Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the Government has recently classified Laterite with more
than 20 per cent aluminium as bauxite and a major mineral thereby comes under the
Mines and Minerals...
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4042 ANSWERED ON 12.08.2026 LATERITE AS MINOR MINERAL
4042. SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:
Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the Government has recently classified Laterite with more than 20 per cent aluminium as bauxite and a major mineral thereby comes under the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR), Act and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether it is true that before the issuance of above classification Laterite is a Minor mineral and if so, the reasons for changing the classification;
(c) whether Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has written a letter in this regard and if so, the details and action taken thereon; and
(d) whether, when mica, quartz, feldspar and barites minerals reclassified as major mineral a transition period was given and if so, why in the case of Laterite this has not been followed? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY)
(a) & (b): The threshold values for various minerals was notified by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) on 25.04.2018, in accordance with Rule 12(6) of the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017. As per the IBM notification dated
25.04.2018, the threshold values for Bauxite are: (i) Aluminous Laterite: Al O - 20% 2 3
(min), and (ii) Bauxite: Al O - 30% (min) and SiO2 (Total) - 7.0% (max).
2 3 The Central Government has not changed the classification of Laterite in recent times.
(c): Yes, The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh wrote a letter on 26.05.2026 in this regard. The Central Government, after duly examining the matter, has sent a reply to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on 03.07.2026 informing that Ministry of Mines has not set out any new policy with respect to mineral Laterite.
(d): Since there has been no change in the classification of mineral Laterite, unlike Mica, Quartz, Feldspar and Barytes, the question of giving transition period does not arise. *****