Beach Sand Mining in Tamil Nadu

Mining Zone
Coastline of Ramanathapuram;Tuticorin;Tirunelveli and  Kanyakumari Districts

1)Rare Earth Minerals found in Beach -
Garnet
Ilmenita
Rutile
Zircon and
Sillimante

2)Concentration of Minerals in Sand
Garnet -2.5% to 42%
Rutile 0.2% to 0.8%
Ilmenite -3% to 46%
Zircon 0.5% to 2%
Sillimante 3% to 4%

3)Uses and Applications

Garnet
Sand Blasting to clean Highrises
Removing Coral from Ship Hulls
Water Jet Cutting and Filtration
Polishing aGlass Making Monitors

Ilmenite and Rutile
Titanium Dioxide is extracted from Ilmenite
Titanium Dioxide is used for -
manufacture of paste and paint
make aircraft and rocket engine parts

Zircon
Manufacture of Ceramics and Refractory Tiles
Armour Plating of Military Aircraft
Heat Shield in Space Shuttles

Sillimante
used in Refractory Industry and Foundaries



4)Price Per Tonne

Garnet Rs 6000
Zircon Rs 20000
Ilmenite Rs 6000
Rutile Rs 20000
Sillimante Rs 6000

5)What the Govt Gets?

TN gets Royalty at
3% of Sale Price for GArnet
2% for Ilmenite,Rutile,zircon and Sillimante