Hindustan Zinc, part of the Vedanta Group, has been granted a tungsten mining license in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, marking a key step in its strategy to diversify into critical minerals beyond its focus on zinc, lead, and silver. The license was awarded by the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the Balepalyam block in the Kanaganapalle region, located in the Sri Satya Sai district.

The composite licence deed will authorise Hindustan Zinc to conduct exploration and, upon successful discovery, proceed to mine the block.

The mining block spans 308.30 hectares and is currently at the G3 level of exploration, according to the tender document. The composite mining license granted to Hindustan Zinc allows the company to conduct exploration and, if successful, proceed to mining. This type of composite license is a two-stage concession, which provides rights both for exploration and for mining if exploration results are positive.

Earlier this year, Hindustan Zinc emerged as the winning bidder for the block through a competitive auction process conducted by the central government. Hindustan Zinc’s CEO, Arun Misra, emphasized that this development represents an important milestone in the company’s expansion into critical minerals and its commitment to contributing to India’s self-reliance in strategic resources. Misra said: “This milestone marks another step forward in Hindustan Zinc’s journey of expanding its mineral footprint and contributing to the nation’s self-reliance in critical and strategic minerals.”

Known as the world’s largest integrated zinc producer, Hindustan Zinc is also one of the top five global silver producers. The company supplies products to over 40 countries and holds a dominant 77% market share in India’s primary zinc market. This new venture into tungsten mining signals the company’s ongoing efforts to diversify its portfolio and enhance its position in the global critical minerals market.