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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6029
ANSWERED ON 01/04/2026
BEACH SAND MINERALS
6029. SHRI TANGELLA UDAY SRINIVAS
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-
(a) the total production of raw Beach Sand Minerals (BSM) in the country particularly in
Andhra Pradesh including Kakinada during the last five years, year, State and District-
wise;
(b) total production of value-added BSM including ilmenite, rutile, zircon and rare earth
concentrates during said period, year, State and district-wise for Andhra Pradesh;
(c) whether Government has formulated a comprehensive strategy for developing end-to-
end value addition chains for BSM and titanium from mining to advanced
manufacturing;
(d) if so, the details thereof including schemes, funding pattern and projects proposed in
coastal States such as Andhra Pradesh;
(e) whether private entities are permitted to mine and process BSM and if so, the quantity
and value produced by them;
(f) the details of safeguards put in place to curb illegal mining and exports; and
(g) the measures taken by the Government to promote domestic beneficiation, technology
acquisition and strategic capacity building in the BSM sector?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
AND PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a)& (b): The details of state and district-wise production of raw Beach Sand Minerals (BSM)
and total value-added BSM (Total Heavy Minerals) in the country during the last five years are
given in table-
Financial State District Raw Sand Total Heavy
Year Production (tonne) Minerals (tonne)
FY2021-22 Odisha Ganjam 3999755 341450
Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari 772866 63536
Kerala Kollam 771189 137528
FY2022-23 Odisha Ganjam 4354899 367493
Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari 682256 54366
Kerala Kollam 897025 151242
FY2023-24 Odisha Ganjam 6017990 375402Financial State District Raw Sand Total Heavy
Year Production (tonne) Minerals (tonne)
Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari 916175 60784
Kerala Kollam 1182251 145655
FY2024-25 Odisha Ganjam 6370502 397778
Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari 713714 60899
Kerala Kollam 1198251 173685
FY2025-26 Odisha Ganjam 5785825 411869
(till Feb, Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari 680511 41865
2026) Kerala Kollam 1526689 147913
Total production during last 5 years 35869898 2931465
As per records available, total production of raw Beach Sand Minerals (BSM) and total value-
added BSM (Total Heavy Minerals) is Nil during the last five (05) years in the State of Andhra
Pradesh.
(c) & (d): Yes. The Union Budget 2026-27 made an announcement to support the mineral-rich
States of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to establish dedicated Rare Earth
Corridors to promote mining, processing, research and manufacturing, thus, aligning these
initiatives with the national priorities of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Net Zero 2070, and Viksit Bharat
@2047, while positioning India as a key player in global advanced materials value chains.
(e): No. As per the provisions under Section (5) of Mines and Minerals (Development and
Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR), mining of atomic minerals (i.e. BSM in this case) equal to or
above the threshold values (i.e. 0.00% monazite in Total Heavy Minerals, vide Ministry of
Mines notification No. GSR134(E) dated 20.02.2019) shall be carried out only by the
Government Company/Corporation, owned or controlled by the Government.
(f): Section 23C of the MMDR Act, 1957 empowers the State Governments to make rules for
preventing illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals and for the purposes
connected therewith.
As regards illegal exports of BSM, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of
Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India issued Notification No.
26/2015-2020 dated 21.08.2018 on export policy on BSM under which export of BSM has
been brought under State Trading Enterprise and shall be canalized through IREL (India)
Limited (IREL).
(g): As regards promoting domestic beneficiation capability, IREL has been mandated to mine
and process the heavy mineral sands which includes rare earth bearing mineral viz. monazite
in India. In addition, Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML), a State Public SectorEnterprise (SPSE) under Government of Kerala also undertakes similar activity. IREL has been
operating in three locations having the facility for integrated mining and processing of heavy
mineral sands and a facility each for extraction and refining of Rare Earths. IREL possesses the
requisite expertise across integrated mining, mineral separation, REE extraction and refining.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy
collaborates with IREL to develop necessary technologies pertaining to processing of rare
earths.
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