(Updated in 2025) As Amended by G.S.R. 382(E)., dt. 12/06/2025 - Amendment in Schedule-I Part-III G.S.R. 52 (E), dt. 21/01/2024 - Amendments in Rule 2(iii), Rule 5(marginal heading), Rule 7(1), 7(1A), 7(1B), 7(1D) and Schedule III G.S.R. 856(E), dt. 14/12/2021 - Amendments in Rule 7(1A)(1B)(1C) and Schedule III G.S.R. 421(E)., dt. 18/06/2021 - Amendments in Rule 3(b), 3(d), Rule 4, Rule 5(marginal heading), , Rule 5(b), Rule 6(marginal heading), Rule 6(b), Rule 7(1)(a), 7(2), Schedule-I and Schedule -II In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 13 of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely:--

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S.1 Short title and commencement.--

(1) These rules may be called the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

S.2 Application.--

These rules shall apply to all minerals except--

 (i) petroleum and natural gas;

 (ii) coal, lignite and sand for stowing;

 (iii) minerals listed in Part B of the First Schedule to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957) ¹[having grade equal to or more than the threshold value as specified and notified under the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016]; and

 (iv)  minor minerals.

S.3 Definitions and interpretation,--

In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,--

 (a) "Act" means the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957);
 
 ²[x x x x]

 (c) "conforming" means in a form as near thereto as circumstances of each case may require;

 (d) "evidence of mineral contents" means the existence of mineral contents established as specified in ³[x x x x] Rule 5, or sub-rule (2) of Rule 7, as the case may be;

 (e) "threshold value of minerals" means the limits prescribed by the Indian Bureau of Mines from time to time based on the beneficiability and marketability of a mineral for a given region and given time, below which the material obtained after mining can be discarded as waste;

 (f) "Schedule" means the Schedule annexed to these rules;

 (g) the expressions Reconnaissance Survey (G4), Preliminary Exploration (G3), Genera

S.4

x x x x]

S.5 Existence of mineral contents3[for grant of mining lease under clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 5 and] for auction of mining lease under sub-section (3) of Section 10B and sub-section (2) of Section 111[or section 11D] of the Act..--

An area shall be considered to be having existence of mineral contents under ⁴[clause (a) of subsection (2) of section 5 and] sub-section (3) of Section 10B or sub-section (2) of Section 11 ¹[or section 11D]of the Act, if, in respect of such area,--

 (a) at least General Exploration (G2) has been completed to establish Indicated Mineral Resource (332); and

 (b) a geological study report has been prepared conforming to Part IV of the ²[Schedule-I].

 ⁵[Provided that for the minerals specified in Schedule-II occurring in such type of deposits as specified therein, the existence of mineral contents for the purpose of auction shall be deemed to have been established under this rule, if, in respect of such area --

(a) at least Preliminary Exploration (G3) has been completed to establish Inferred Mineral Resource (333), which shall be considered akin to Indicated Mineral Resource (332), and

S.6 Grant of a mining lease through auction in respect of mining leases after expiry of the mining lease period and of leases which have been surrendered,1[terminated,] determined or lapsed.--

Before notifying any area for grant of mining lease through auction, in respect of--

 (a) mining lease after expiry of the lease period; and

 (b) mining lease which has been surrendered, ¹[terminated,] determined or lapsed,
a detailed reassessment of resources, in the area proposed to be auctioned shall be carried out in accordance with Rule 5.

 ²[Provided that detailed reassessment of resources shall not be required to be carried out in cases where the estimate of Mineral Resource required for auction can be assessed on the basis of the available report of exploration or geological study report or last approved mining plan for the said area, after adjusting for the mineral already produced from the mine.]

S.7 Existence of mineral contents for grant of composite licence.--

(1) An area may be notified for auction to grant a composite licence under sub-section (2) of Section 10B or sub-section (3) of Section 11 ¹[or section 11D] of the Act, if, in respect of such area,--

 ³[(a) at least Reconnaissance Survey (G4) has been completed to estimate Reconnaissance Mineral Resource (334) or mineral potentiality of the block has been identified based on the available geoscience data but resources are yet to be established; and]

 (b) a geological study report has been prepared conforming to Part-IVA and Part IVB of the ²[Schedule-I].

⁵[(1A) Any person intending to obtain composite licence in respect of an area may submit a proposal to the State Government in the format specified in Schedule III along with available geoscience data for notification of the area for auction to grant a composite licence.

 ⁶[Provided that in respect of any mineral specified in the

S.8 Relaxation.--

Depending upon the local geological setup, mode of occurrence and nature of mineralisation, the State Government may, with the previous approval of the Central Government, relax the exploration norms as specified in Part III of the ¹[Schedule-I], in whole or in part for any mineral or any area.

S.SCHEDULE-I

SCHEDULE

[See rule 3(f), 3(g), 4(1)(a)(ii), 4(1)(b)(ii), 5(b), 7(1)(b), 7(2)(b)]

The terms used, pertaining to levels of exploration and the category of resources and reserves achieved through various levels of exploration have been defined in Part-I of the Schedule. The parameters for establishing the existence of mineral content in an area in terms of quantity and grade have been specified in Part-II, Part-III, Part-IVA, Part-IVB, and Part-V of the Schedule.

1[PART I

DEFINITIONS

1. The definitions and codes used in this Part are drawn mainly from the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) and Committee S.SCHEDULE-II 1[Schedule-II [See proviso to rule 5] PARAMETER FOR ESTABLISHING THE EXISTENCE OF MINERAL CONTENT IN CERTAIN AREA IN RESPECT OF CERTAIN MINERALS Sl. No. Principle mineral Type of deposit 1. Limestone, iron ore and bauxite Bedded, stratiform and tabular deposits of homogenous, regular sedimentary and metasedimentary basins without significant structural deformations of limestone and iron ore and residual high level tabular deposits S.SCHEDULE-III 1[SCHEDULE III [See rule 7(1A)] FORMAT FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL FOR AUCTION OF AN AREA FOR GRANT OF COMPOSITE LICENCE To, The Director, Mining and Geology Department, Government of ______ [mention name of State Government] 2[OR To, The Director (Technical), Ministry of Mines, Government of India, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi - 110001. [strike-out whichever is not applicable] Madam/ Sir, Under the provision of sub-rule (1A) of rule 7 of the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, I/ S.Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules, 2021 All Amendments Incorporated at Appropriate place MINISTRY OF MINES NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 18th June, 2021 G.S.R. 421(E).--In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules to amend the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, namely:-- (1) These rules may be called the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules, 2021. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), for the word “Schedu S.Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Second Amendment Rules, 2021 All Amendments Incorporated at Appropriate place MINISTRY OF MINES NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 14th December, 2021 G.S.R. 856(E).--In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules to amend the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, namely:-- 1. (1) These rules may be called the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Second Amendment Rules, 2021. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in rule 7, af S.Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules, 2024 All Amendments Incorporated at Appropriate place MINISTRY OF MINES NOTIFICATION New Delhi the 21st January, 2024 G.S.R. 52(E).--In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, namely:-- 1. Short title and commencement.-- (1) These rules may be called the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules, 2024. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015 (hereinafter referred to as S.Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules, 2025 All Amendments Incorporated at Appropriate place MINISTRY OF MINES NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 12th June, 2025 G.S.R. 382(E).--In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, namely:-- 1. Short title and commencement.-- (1) These rules may be called the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules, 2025. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2.