Indian government plans to auction 16 mines

India's Chhattisgarh state government planned to auction a total of 16 units of iron ore and limestone over the next three months.

These long-blocked mines have reserves of 1.192 billion tonnes, totaling nearly Rs 1.9 trillion.

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Bagel asked Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi, to keep the Bailadil No. 1 iron ore mine to support the Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) and guarantee supplies of iron ore to local steel mills.