First critical mineral block auctions winners to be announced on Monday

The winners of six critical mineral blocks, including the highly contested Katghora block, will be announced on Monday. Among them is India's first lithium and rare earth element (REE) mine. The first round of auctions, launched on November 23 last year with 20 mines, saw bids for phosphorite, fertiliser minerals, and more. The lithium block in Chhattisgarh received significant attention with over 10 bids, while graphite mines attracted 4-5 bidders per block.