The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has clarified that forest clearances for critical mineral mining are governed by the same statutory safeguards as non-critical minerals, with no relaxation in environmental requirements. Mining proposals must comply with Compensatory Afforestation (CA), payment of Net Present Value (NPV) and implementation of site-specific mitigation measures under existing forest and environmental laws.
Environmental appraisal continues to be conducted under the EIA Notification, 2006, with proposals examined by the relevant Expert Appraisal Committees (EAC/SEAC), including biodiversity impact assessments and Environment Management Plans (EMPs) backed by adequate financial provisioning.
Compliance monitoring is undertaken by State/UT authorities and MoEFCC Regional Offices, and—following a 29 August 2025 notification—may also involve registered environment auditors. Monitoring of compensatory afforestation is carried out under the CAF Act, 2016, through National and State CAMPA authorities, to ensure transparency and ecological quality of restored areas.
Policy Relevance
The clarification underscores the government’s position that expanding access to critical minerals for energy transition and strategic manufacturing will not dilute forest-governance standards. As mining activity increases in ecologically sensitive regions, the effectiveness of multi-tier compliance monitoring and post-clearance enforcement will be central to maintaining biodiversity and public trust.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can independent ecological audits and post-clearance monitoring be strengthened to ensure forest quality is preserved as critical-mineral extraction scales up?
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Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 120, MoEFCC (8 December 2025)
