Lok Sabha Question No. 236 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-19
Subject: Export of Mineral Sand
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: PR. SENTHILNATHAN, V. SATHYABAMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 236 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.7.2018

## EXPORT OF MINERAL SAND

236 . SHRI PR.SENTHIL NATHAN: SHRIMATI V. SATHYA BAMA:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has issued licenses for the State run Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and private companies in Tamil Nadu to have long term and short term mining leases for  exploiting and quarrying mineral sand and semi precious stone like Garnet, Amethyst and Beryl in Tamil Nadu;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  total  estimated volume and value of mineral sand in Indian rupees and semi precious stones mined during the last three years in Tamil Nadu;
- (d) whether the Government has fixed any specific norms and rules for export of mineral sand from the State; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the quantity and value of exported mineral sand during each of the last three years?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  MINES  AND  COAL  (SHRI  HARIBHAI  PARTHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

- (a) to (b): As per the information provided by State Government  of Tamil  Nadu licences/leases have been granted to both central/ State owned PSUs and private companies for quarrying of Mineral sand like Silica sand, Heavy Mineral sand and river sand. No mining leases  were  granted  for  semiprecious  stone  like  Garnet,  Amethyst  and  Beryl  in  the  State  of Tamil  Nadu  so  far.  With  regard  to  Silica  sand,  the  State  Government  have  granted  mining leases for state owned PSU viz., TAMIN and private companies/ individuals for quarrying Silica sand in the state. In respect of Heavy Mineral Sand, the State Government have granted mining leases for both Government of India owned PSU viz. IREL and private companies/Individuals for mining  Garnet  sand,  illmenite,  Rutile,  Zircon,  Sillimanite,  Leucoxene,  Monazite.  In  respect  of river  sand, the State Government in the Public Works Department is authorized for quarrying and sale of sand w.e.f 02.10.2003 and accordingly Rule 38-A has been introduced to the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959 vide G.O.Ms.No.95 Industries, Department, dated 01.10.2003. The leases are granted to PWD by the concerned District Collectors. The details of existing mining leases for Mineral sand are as follows:
* Public Works Department, the State Government Department.

| Sl. No.   | Mineral sand                               | No. of leases granted to   | No. of leases granted to   | No. of leases granted to       | Total   | Leases under Operation   | Leases under Non- operation   |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|--------------------------------|---------|--------------------------|-------------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | Mineral sand                               | Central owned PSUs         | State owned PSUs           | Private Companies/ Individuals | Total   | Leases under Operation   | Leases under Non- operation   |
| 1.        | River sand                                 | -                          | 37*                        | -                              | 37      | 12                       | 25                            |
| 2.        | Silica sand                                | -                          | 3**                        | 21                             | 21      | -                        | 21                            |
| 3.        | Garnet sand, Illmenite, Rutile, Zircon etc | 3                          | 1                          | 77                             | 81      | 3                        | 78 @                          |

**Leases    were  granted  to  State  owned  PSU,  TAMIN  which  expired  during

2017-18.

- @ Stopped due to allegations of illegal mining and the matter is sub-judice.
- (c) : As per the information provided by State Government of Tamil Nadu, the total estimated volume and value of mineral sand in Indian rupees and semiprecious stones mined during the last three years in Tamil Nadu is as under:
- (d) to (e): With regard to beach sand minerals, the port authorities were requested by the District Collector, Tirunelveli to verify the genuinty of the material to be exported i.e., the source of the mineral mined and the validity of the documents issued by the authorities for transportation of mineral  etc.,  as  the  beach  sand  mining  operations  by  private  companies/  individuals  were stopped from the  year  2013  in  the  state  for  facilitating  inspection  on  the  allegations  towards illegal  mining  and  the  matter  is  also  subjudice.  As  per  the  information  available  in  Indian Minerals Year Book-2017, the quantity and value of exported Mineral sands during each of the last three years are as under:

| Sl. No.   | Mineral sand   | 2015-16             | 2015-16                  | 2016-17             | 2016-17                  | 2017-18             | 2017-18                  |
|-----------|----------------|---------------------|--------------------------|---------------------|--------------------------|---------------------|--------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | Mineral sand   | Production (tonnes) | Royalty realised (in Rs) | Production (tonnes) | Royalty realised (in Rs) | Production (tonnes) | Royalty realised (in Rs) |
| 1.        | Silica sand    | 132764              | 11381806                 | 164924              | 18584021                 | 3000                | 980800                   |
| 2.        | Garnet sand    | 9950                | 3049710                  | 7000                | 2185848                  | -                   | -                        |
| 3.        | Illmenite,     | 40800               | 4659297                  | 25250               | 3773459                  | -                   | -                        |
| 4.        | Rutile         | 850                 | 1034554                  | 1000                | 966054                   | -                   | -                        |
| 5.        | Zircon         | 2150                | 3049149                  | 2350                | 3382631                  | -                   | -                        |
| 6.        | Monazite       | 4                   | 753                      | 3                   | 375                      | -                   | -                        |
| 7.        | Leucoxene      | -                   | -                        | -                   | -                        | -                   | -                        |
| 8.        | Sillimanite    | -                   | -                        | -                   | -                        | -                   | -                        |
| 9.        | River sand*    | 1083524             | 91.03                    | 1027715             | 86.33                    | 841623              | 70.70                    |

|         | Mineral sand      | 2014-15           | 2014-15                   | 2015-16           | 2015-16                   | 2016-17           | 2016-17                   |
|---------|-------------------|-------------------|---------------------------|-------------------|---------------------------|-------------------|---------------------------|
| Sl. No. |                   | Quantity (tonnes) | Value (Value in Rs '000') | Quantity (tonnes) | Value (Value in Rs '000') | Quantity (tonnes) | Value (Value in Rs '000') |
| 1.      | Silica sand       | 1216              | 9802                      | 709               | 6725                      | 1096              | 8669                      |
| 2.      | Garnet (abrasive) | 448559            | 5673827                   | 480408            | 5950862                   | 387276            | 4691843                   |
| 3.      | Sillimanite       | 17304             | 141262                    | 15078             | 110847                    | 14064             | 114678                    |

*****