The maiden auction of critical minerals by the Centre has faced a setback with close to seven blocks, including the lithium block in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), finding almost no takers.

       These seven blocks pertain to critical minerals, such as Glauconite, Graphite, Nickel, Platinum Group Elements (PGE), Potash, Lithium, and Titanium. They are spread across Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

       According to sources, the government did not receive a single bid for the lithium block in J&K in the first round.

       “There is a lack of interest from potential buyers in the lithium block

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