UDAIPUR : Hindustan Zinc Limited, India’s only and the world’s largest integrated zinc producer, rapidly forays into India’s critical mineral segment by securing two new critical mineral blocks, one for Potash & Halite and another for Rare Earth Elements (REEs). With this, the company’s critical minerals block portfolio reaches a total of three including a tungsten block in Andhra Pradesh.
Under the fifth tranche of critical & strategic mineral block e-auction, the company has been declared preferred bidder for India’s first Potash & Halite block in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan and Rare Earth Elements block in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. This strategic win marks a significant milestone in Hindustan Zinc’s muti-mineral growth journey, solidifying its position as a leading player in the critical minerals sector. Earlier this month the company also received a letter of intent from Andhra Pradesh government for the Balepalyam Tungsten and Associated Minerals Block.
Hon’ble Minister of Coal & Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, said in a post on X, “For the First Time in India! Paving the Way for Potash Mining…India takes a bold leap towards self-reliance in fertiliser minerals…By unlocking the potential of potash mining, we are set to reduce import dependence and strengthen the backbone of our agriculture-our farmers!”
Potash is a key mineral in the fertiliser industry used to produce NPK fertilisers which is widely used in India’s agrarian economy. At present, India imports 100% of potash primarily from Canada, Belarus, Jordan, South Korea and other countries. The successful auction of the country’s first potash & halite block marks a major step towards self-reliance in fertiliser minerals thereby reducing import dependency and strengthening India’s agricultural future with affordable fertilisers.
Arun Misra, CEO Hindustan Zinc Limited, stated, “Securing the first-ever potash block of India and Rare Earth Elements block is a testament to our prowess in strategic mineral exploration. We are aggressively foraying into the critical minerals segment and stand resolute in our commitment to support the nation’s mineral security goals for rapid economic growth. This acquisition enhances our position as a leading player in the critical minerals sector and reinforces our ability to deliver long-term value to our stakeholders. This will generate unprecedented direct and indirect employment opportunities along with new investments in many industries in the state.”
These strategic wins are aligned with Hindustan Zinc’s long-term strategy of securing high-quality assets with strong mining potential. Located in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, the block spans 1841.22 hectares and is currently at the G3 level of exploration. The Rare Earth Element block located in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, spans 210.01 hectares and is currently at the G3 level of exploration (preliminary exploration). Leveraging its in-house expertise in exploration and mining, Hindustan Zinc is well-resourced to unlock substantial growth opportunities from both these assets. This further strengthens the company’s position in the critical metals sector, aligning with its vision of producing metals that power the global energy transition.
Hindustan Zinc Limited, a Vedanta Group company, is the world’s largest integrated zinc producer and is amongst the top 5 silver producers globally. The company supplies to more than 40 countries and holds a market share of about 77% of the primary zinc market in India. Hindustan Zinc has been recognized as the world’s most sustainable company in the metals and mining category for the second consecutive year by the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024.
