Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy and Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant have launched India’s first auction for Exploration Licences (ELs). This step is an important reform to help discover and use India’s untapped critical and deep-seated minerals.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Mines in partnership with the Government of Goa. It included a Roadshow for the 5th Tranche of the Auction of Critical Mineral Blocks and the launch of an AI Hackathon 2025 focused on “Mineral Targeting using AI.”
Kishan Reddy and Dr. Sawant jointly started the auction of 13 Exploration Licence blocks. These blocks contain important minerals such as Rare Earth Elements (REE), Zinc, Diamond, Copper, and Platinum Group Elements (PGE). The auction process is online and transparent, aiming to speed up mineral exploration, encourage private companies to participate, and reduce the need for imports.
Speaking at the event, Kishan Reddy said that this is the first time India is systematically exploring minerals at an early stage through a structured auction. He added that this reform will help discover important minerals, increase investor confidence, and support India’s goals for clean energy and industrial growth.
Dr. Pramod Sawant praised the government’s efforts, noting that Goa has a long history of mining. He said these reforms will help India unlock its mineral potential while ensuring responsible and technology-driven mining.
Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, VL Kantha Rao, highlighted that this auction is a major step toward making India self-reliant in minerals. He stressed that AI-driven exploration techniques and private sector involvement will be crucial in discovering India’s vast mineral resources. The Ministry is committed to making these exploration blocks operational as soon as possible to meet the increasing demand for critical minerals.
The AI Hackathon on “Mineral Targeting using Artificial Intelligence” aims to use AI techniques and geoscience data to find new mineral-rich areas, especially hidden and deep-seated deposits.
Participants in the hackathon will develop AI models using datasets like geophysics, geochemistry, remote sensing, and borehole data. Their focus will be on critical minerals such as REE, Ni-PGE, and Copper. This event is expected to bring innovation to India’s mineral exploration field and improve data-driven mineral discovery.
To encourage more private companies to take part in mineral exploration, Kishan Reddy and Dr. Pramod Sawant awarded certificates to three newly approved Private Exploration Agencies.
