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| Photo Credit: K. Bhagya Prakash

India will auction 18 critical mineral blocks as a part of its second round of mining auctions, a source aware of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

Oil-to-metals conglomerate Vedanta Ltd, state-owned miner Coal India, Shree Cement and e-scooter maker Ola Electric have emerged as bidders after the first round of auction for 20 blocks concluded on Feb. 20, the source said.

The source declined to be identified as the details were not public. The companies did not immediately respond to Reuters‘ requests for comment.

The first round of auctions was launched in November last year, in a move to drive the nation’s clean energy push.