Beach Mineral Histroy in India – Part-1

Brief Note about Beach Mineral Industries to understand the factual situation of the industry

Garnet, Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxene, Zircon, Monazite, Sillimanite, etc., are subsumed under broad category of beach sand minerals or otherwise called placer minerals.  Since these all are available together, Govt., of India notified the same as associated minerals.

 

Mining of these placer minerals had been under the exclusive monopoly of the foreign companies prior to independence.  After independence the foreign companies disbanded their mining activities.  Taking into the consideration the larger interest of the welfare of the workers and others who were under the employment of the foreign companies, Govt. of India in their wisdom took over the mining activities.   Consequently in 1965, Govt. of India amalgamated all the fragmented companies and formed an unified company called Indian Rare Earths Ltd (Ref page 348 of Kanyakumari District Gazetteer, 1995).  This company IREL had upfront mining leases and factories at Manavalakurichi, Kanyakumari district, another at Chavara and Alappula in kerala State and third one at Chathrapur in Odisha under their control.  In all, there were more than 700 employees of various categories working both at the mines site and at the factory.

 

IREL mining the beach minerals and after processing they sold within and outside India. Out of the seven minerals, monazite percentage is high in the above 3 places, hence they build the factory there. In monazite, more than 70% are rare earth elements.  A small portion of Uranium less than 0.1% to 0.3% and Thorium 7% to 9%.  Since Uranium and Thorium has radiation, this monazite is a radioactive mineral. The reason for the exclusive right being given to Indian Rare Earths Limited for handling these radioactive substances is borne out of the fact that these Uranium and Thorium have “radiation effects” causing health hazards to the workers.

 

M/s.IREL has not shown much interest in  other areas in view of the fact that the content of the radioactive substance is relatively insignificant and almost Nil.  Since there was not much demand for Garnet , Sillimanite, etc., minerals at those times , M/s.IREL did not have keen interest in searching for those beach minerals.

-To be Cont..-