GSI Ramps Up Exploration Of Critical Minerals, Studies 230 Projects In FY26

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has significantly ramped up its exploration efforts for critical and strategic minerals, conducting 230 projects in the current fiscal, up from 195 in the last fiscal, Parliament was informed on Monday.

In the reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said that, complementing this push, the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT) has approved 62 exploration initiatives in the last financial year and 36 in 2025-26.

The minister said that to strengthen the critical mineral sector, the Ministry has undertaken several measures like amending the Mining Act to expand the scope of NMEDT for supporting critical mineral exploration and mining abroad.

The Geological Survey of India has 'intensified exploration of critical and strategic minerals. GSI carried out 195 critical mineral exploration projects in 2024-25, and 230 projects in 2025-26 across the country,' the minister said. He also said that 34 critical minerals blocks have been auctioned by the Mines Ministry.

The ministry has successfully auctioned seven blocks of exploration license, out of which, three are of critical minerals. The Exploration Licenses (EL) regime has been introduced for deep-seated and critical minerals, under which a share of the auction premium will be payable to the EL holder who explored it.