| Mining Type | Category A | Category B | Below B threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-coal mineral mining | ≥ 50 ha lease area | ≥ 5 ha and < 50 ha | < 5 ha — Category B2, cleared by the District EIA Authority (DEIAA) |
| Coal mining | > 150 ha lease area | ≥ 5 ha and ≤ 150 ha | — |
| Asbestos mining | All projects, irrespective of area | — | — |
A Category B project is automatically treated as Category A if located wholly or partly within 10 km of the boundary of any of: Protected Areas (Wild Life Protection Act, 1972), Critically Polluted Areas (CPCB-notified), notified Eco-Sensitive Areas, or Inter-State/international boundaries. The GC only escalates — it never downgrades a Category A project.
| Category | Authority | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| A | MoEFCC, on EAC recommendation | Full EIA report + public consultation |
| B1 | SEIAA, on SEAC recommendation | Full EIA report + public consultation |
| B2 | SEIAA (or DEIAA for minor minerals ≤5ha) | No EIA report, no public consultation |
The EIA Notification's Schedule lists dozens of other project types — industries (chemicals, cement, thermal power...), infrastructure (highways, ports, airports...), and building/area-development projects — each with their own thresholds. This wizard deliberately does not attempt those: several have had a genuinely contested amendment history (building/construction area thresholds in particular have been revised, challenged, and litigated multiple times, including a 2024 Kerala High Court ruling), and guessing at a threshold for a real clearance decision is worse than not offering one. For any project type other than mining, verify the currently applicable, court-upheld Schedule entry directly, or consult a qualified EIA consultant.