Hindalco Industries has said it is in the process of bidding for two nickel-cobalt mineral blocks in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Speaking to the media, Hindalco Industries Managing Director Satish Pai said the company is not looking for any critical mineral blocks abroad as there are plenty of blocks put up for sale in India. "We are bidding for two nickel cobalt mines,” he said.

Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components in many of today's rapidly growing energy technologies – from wind turbines and power networks to electric vehicles.

“We are participating in those auctions. Because we believe there are some interesting mines in India that have not been explored, so the government is coming up with nickel-cobalt mines, lithium mines, copper mines, and we Going to focus more on India rather than going abroad,” he said.

The company had bid for the lithium block but did not get it, he said. "We are monitoring the activities of all these important mines in India...we have the expertise," he said.

Pai further said that the company will not bid for any coal block as its further expansion will be into renewable energy.