LOK SABHA
The Government has
identified abundant resources of heavy minerals along the coastal
tracts and offshore areas of the country. These include Ilmenite,
Rutile, Zircon, Monazite, Garnet and Sillimanite.
The mineral-wise
resources of the coastal zones are as follows:-
(in million tonnes)
| |
Ilmenite
|
Rutile
|
Zircon
|
Monazite
|
Garnet
|
Sillimanite
|
|
Kerala
|
95.51
|
6.61
|
6.45
|
1.35
|
1.19
|
39.07
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
97.91
|
4.82
|
8.35
|
1.73
|
24.38
|
21.09
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
100.10
|
4.42
|
4.43
|
2.29
|
48.99
|
47.02
|
|
Orissa
|
45.05
|
1.88
|
1.44
|
1.18
|
32.61
|
21.23
|
|
Others
|
9.85
|
0.20
|
0.47
|
1.44
|
0.08
|
1.75
|
|
TOTAL
|
348.22
|
17.93
|
21.14
|
7.99
|
107.09
|
130.16
|
The mineral exploitation
is being done by Indian Rare Earths Limited, a public sector undertaking
under the Department of Atomic Energy. The exploitation of other
minerals is being carried out by a number of private enterprises.
In 1998, considering the vast resources of heavy mineral deposits,
the Department of Atomic Energy has issued guidelines on exploitation
of beach sand minerals paving the way for participation by both
Indian and foreign companies.
The above information
was given by Minister of State for Coal and Mines Shri Ravi Shankar
Prasad in Lok Sabha today.
