<h1>Parliament approves 2025 minerals bill to modernise mining, boost critical mineral production, expand exploration funding and sales</h1> Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025, amending the 1957 Act to liberalise and modernise mining for critical and strategic minerals. Key changes let existing leaseholders add specified minerals without additional royalty, rename and broaden the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust to fund exploration and development (including offshore and overseas) with contributions raised from 2% to 3% of royalty, allow one-time extensions for deep-seated mining, remove the 50% sales cap on captive-mine output, permit state-sanctioned sales of mineral dumps, create regulated mineral exchanges, and streamline licensing to attract investment and boost domestic critical-mineral production amid continued reliance on imports.