Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL), a Vedanta group company, is setting its sights on potash mining. The mining major is eyeing a block in Rajasthan that not only holds potential for potash but could also yield lithium, a critical mineral gaining global traction. The move marks a significant shift for HZL as it looks beyond its traditional stronghold in zinc, lead and silver.
The company is planning a broad expansion into critical minerals of strategic importance, in addition to its core metals. Hindustan Zinc was recently declared the preferred bidder for the Dugocha gold block in Rajasthan, strengthening its portfolio in precious metals.
“So all the critical mineral blocks, as I said, we have got gold…block, we have got tungsten block. So Hindustan Zinc will expand beyond zinc, lead and silver,” Hindustan Zinc CEO Arun Misra told PTI.
“We will expand into all critical minerals, whichever is of strategic interest to us, including not only minerals, including potash… Potash is there in Rajasthan… (There are) also chances of lithium association there (in the potash block). So we will look at that,” Misra added.
Further diversifying its asset base, Hindustan Zinc was awarded the Balepalyam Tungsten Block in Andhra Pradesh. The company is actively preparing to participate in all upcoming mineral block auctions in India, with exploration efforts led by its subsidiary, Hindmetal Exploration Services Pvt Ltd, which is focused on strategic minerals.
“I am sure they (the company) will turn out to be the biggest private explorer as far as India is concerned,” Misra explained.
India currently depends heavily on potash imports, mainly from Russia, Canada, Belarus and Israel.
On April 25, HZL reported a 47.3 percent surge in consolidated net profit to Rs 3,003 crore for the quarter ended March 2025, driven by record metal volumes and lower production costs. It had posted a net profit of Rs 2,038 crore in the same period a year earlier.
HZL remains the world’s largest integrated zinc producer and ranks among the top five silver producers globally. The company supplies to over 40 countries and commands about 77 percent of India’s primary zinc market.
