India launches auction for two offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea

The Union Ministry of Mines announced a tender to award operating rights for the Sewell Rise-01 and West Sewell Ridge-01 offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea, together spanning 1,632 sq km. The blocks, identified by the Geological Survey of India, host polymetallic nodules and crusts containing nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese. A Notice Inviting Tender was released on October 1, and an outreach programme in New Delhi explained the blocks' potential, auction procedures, regulatory requirements and exploration subsidies.

The pre-bid conference will take place on November 4, with the final bid deadline on December 28. The process is governed by the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 (amended 2023) and the Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024 (amended). The ministry highlighted the role of a forthcoming Critical Mineral Processing Park on India’s eastern coast in supporting offshore mineral processing.