New Delhi, March 12 -- The Ministry of Mines is set to launch the nation's first-ever auction of Exploration Licences (ELs) in Goa on March 13, the Ministry of Mines said on Wednesday.

The ministry said that the move is a major reform to unlock India's untapped critical and deep-seated mineral resources.

Exploration licenses pertain to licences granted for undertaking reconnaissance and prospecting operations for critical and deep-seated minerals. These licenses allow private sector players in finding and evaluating mineral deposits.

As per the Ministry's release, the programme will also feature a Roadshow on the 5th Tranche of Critical Mineral Blocks and the launch of AI Hackathon 2025, a Mineral Exploration Hackathon focused on "Mine...