The Ministry of Mines is an institution of the Government of India that functions as the apex body for formulating and administering laws related to the mining sector. It is responsible for the survey, exploration, and mining of all minerals, specifically non-ferrous metals like aluminium, copper, and gold, but excludes coal, natural gas, petroleum, and atomic minerals from its full purview. The Ministry's core function is the administration of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), which was enacted on December 28, 1957, to ensure the orderly and scientific development of mineral resources under the control of the Union.
The Ministry works by enforcing the MMDR Act, 1957, which mandates that prospecting and mining operations can only be conducted under a valid license or lease, as per Section 4. The Act establishes a framework for granting mineral concessions, regulating the maximum area and duration of leases, and determining the payment of royalties. Key institutions connected to the Ministry include its attached office, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), and its subordinate office, the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM). The Ministry also oversees the implementation of mechanisms like the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), which shares mineral wealth with states.
The sector has seen significant recent change, notably with the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2025. This amendment, which came into effect on September 1, 2025, removed restrictions on the sale of minerals from captive mines and expanded the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), renaming it the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT). The reforms aim to improve transparency, ease of doing business, and accelerate the production of critical minerals.