By Nageshwar Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, March 24 2026: The mineral rich Odisha is lining up to auction 34 mineral blocks, including 25 major mineral blocks and nine critical and strategic mineral assets in the 2026-27 financial year to mop up roughly about Rs 60,000 crore in cumulative revenue for the state. .

Incidentally, for the first time the upcoming auction includes two gold-bearing blocks.

The 25 major mineral blocks include five iron ore blocks, six bauxite blocks, four iron ore and manganese blocks, three quartz blocks, two limestone blocks, and one block each of manganese, copper, and composite deposits such as gold, iron ore with aluminous laterite, and iron ore with bauxite.

Odisha was among the top three states including Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh contributing to the 22 critical mineral blocks auctioned nationally in FY26. Four critical mineral blocks from the state were successfully auctioned in 2025-26. The state now focuses on auctioning a mix of mining lease (ML) blocks for immediate production and composite licences (CL) for exploration.

According to government officials, the proposed blocks are spread across 12 districts — Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Balangir, Rayagada, Koraput, Nuapada, Nayagarh, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Subarnapur and Malkangiri — covering a wide spectrum of mineral resources.

The gold blocks identified for auction are the Jaldiha block in Keonjhar district, spanning 150 hectares with exclusive gold deposits, and the Madansahi-Kanjia block in Mayurbhanj, spread over around 300 hectares with copper and gold deposits. Both blocks have undergone G2-level exploration and detailed assessment of mineralisation zones.

The nine critical and strategic mineral blocks include graphite blocks in Nayagarh and Rayagada, manganese and graphite blocks in Balangir, another composite block containing manganese, graphite and vanadium in Balangir, a polymetallic base metal block in Deogarh with copper, nickel, gold, silver and graphite, and a tin block in Malkangiri. These deposits have been explored by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Directorate of Mines and Geology (DoMG), Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL).

The state will auction 25 major blocks, while the Centre will handle bidding for the nine critical mineral assets, according to Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena. The reserve estimation for the critical blocks has been completed, while assessments for major blocks will be finalised following geological and DGPS surveys. Mines auctioned under Section 8A(2) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2015, will carry a lease period of 50 years, he said.

No auction was conducted in 2023 and two years later, 30 blocks were made ready for auction. Of these, eight have already been auctioned and the process is underway for 12 more, with the remaining 10 to be put under the hammer soon. In addition to the two gold blocks identified by the state, the Centre has also finalised the Adasa-Rampali block in Deogarh for auction, where gold traces were earlier detected during copper exploration by GSI.

The state is said to have received bids for 11 out of 12 virgin mineral blocks for which bids were invited in December last year, with the Garramura limestone block in Nuapada being the sole exception, reportedly due to limited size and geological depth.

Iron ore blocks are the most sought-after assets, with the Alaghat West block in Sundargarh, having over 133 million tonnes of indicated resources, attracting 22 bidders, including major players such as Tata Steel, JSW Steel, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, Vedanta, Essar Minmet, Jindal Steel and Rungta Sons.

Similarly, the Rengalaberha North-East Extension and Nuagaon West, along with the Thakurani-A1 iron ore blocks in Keonjhar, saw participation from 19 and 15 bidders, respectively, largely from integrated steel producers. In the aluminium space, bauxite assets in Koraput drew participation from NALCO, Hindalco and Vedanta, while manganese blocks saw interest from alloy manufacturers and sponge iron producers.

The Kutinga manganese block in Koraput and the Jajang-A manganese and iron ore block in Keonjhar received 18 bids each. The Kedesala West iron ore and aluminous laterite block in Sundargarh drew 14 bidders, while the Karnapodikonda bauxite block in Koraput attracted 10. The Patamunda-A manganese and iron block in Sundargarh received nine bids, followed by the Tunmura limestone and dolomite block (eight), Tarhapani West bauxite block (six), and Telipadar-Lukapada-Pipalmunda limestone block in Balangir (three).