The government on Friday said that it has changed the classification of barytes, felspar, mica and quartz into the category of major minerals.

This move would pave the way for an increased exploration and scientific mining of such resources that are primary source of many critical minerals.

Earlier, these were classified as minor minerals.

“The Ministry of Mines vide gazette notification dated 20th February, 2025 has shifted minerals Barytes, Felspar, Mica and Quartz from the list of minor minerals to the category of major minerals,” an official statement said.

The development came on the heels of the government’s National Critical Mineral Mission which seeks exploration and mining of critical minerals within the country including recovery of these minerals from various mines, overburden and tailings.

Quartz, felspar and mica are found in pegmatite rocks, which are an important source of many critical minerals such as beryl, lithium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, tin, titanium and tungsten among others.

These minerals have important role in various new technologies, in energy transition, spacecraft industries, and healthcare sector, among others.

When the leases of quartz, felspar and mica mines are granted as minor mineral leases, the lease holders do not declare existence of critical minerals or extract the critical minerals associated with it such as lithium, beryl, etc as their primary objective is to use these minerals as minor minerals for construction, glass/ceramic making, etc. Consequently, the critical minerals associated with these minerals are neither getting extracted nor reported, the mines ministry said.

Similarly, baryte has various industrial applications, including those for oil and gas drilling, electronics, television screens, rubber, glass, ceramics, paint, radiation shielding and medical applications. It is used to make high density concrete to block X-ray emissions in hospitals, power plants, and laboratories.

Baryte often occurs as concretions and vein fillings in limestone and dolostone. It is found in association with ores of antimony, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese and silver. Baryte with iron ore occurs in pocket type of deposit which cannot be mined in isolation. While mining either of the minerals, the production of associated mineral is inevitable, the ministry said.

Reclassification of these minerals will not adversely affect the lease period of the existing leases.

As major minerals, the leases for these minerals will get extended to a period of 50 years from the date of grant or till the completion of renewal period, if any, whichever is later as per section 8A of the MMDR Act, 1957, it said.

These mines will gradually register with the Indian Bureau of Mines and will be regulated as major minerals. A transition time of four months, that is, up to June 30 has been provided.

The revenue from mines of these minerals will continue to accrue to the state government as earlier, it added.