Mineral Resource Policy — Key Judgments

Key Judgments

State of Tamil Nadu v. Abu Kavur Bai

1984

This landmark judgment established that mineral rights vest in the State government, not private landowners, even when minerals are found under private land. The Supreme Court…

Samatha v. State of Andhra Pradesh

1997

This judgment addressed mining in tribal areas and the application of Fifth Schedule provisions. The Court held that mining leases in Scheduled Areas require compliance with…

Goa Foundation v. Diksha Holdings Pvt. Ltd.

2018

This judgment dealt with illegal iron ore mining in Goa and established strict environmental compliance requirements. The Supreme Court cancelled mining leases that violated…