Lok Sabha Question No. 78 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-07
Subject: Mining of Mineral Sand
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 78

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2022

## MINING OF MINERAL SAND

78. Shri N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to give permission to the private sector for mining of mineral sand containing radioactive elements in the coastal region;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to liberalize the security policy of our country by rescheduling the minerals for the purpose of giving mining permission to the private sector for the mining of mineral sand in the coastal area containing the radioactive elements;
- (d)      if so the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (e)    whether the Government proposes to take over the right vested with the State Governments with respect to giving licenses to mining of minerals;
- (f)      if so, the details of action taken thereon;
- (g)    whether the Government examined the action of Mining Department regarding rescheduling  of  minerals  for  the  purpose  of  giving  permission  to  the  private sector; and
- (h)    if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  PERSONNEL,  PUBLIC  GRIEVANCES  AND PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

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- (a) Ministry of Mines has invited comments/suggestions of the stakeholders
- to viz., Central Government Ministries/ Departments, State Governments
- (d) and Union Territories, mining industry stake holders, industry associations, general public and other persons and entities concerned on the proposal to remove certain atomic minerals including beach and sand minerals in Part B of the First Schedule of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation & Development) [MMDR] Act, 1957.   Some of the minerals

are  technology  and  energy  critical(elements)  having  uses  in  space industry, electronics, information technology  and  communications, energy sector, electric batteries and the nuclear industry, and are critical in  net  zero  emission  commitment  of  India.    Country  is  dependent  on imports for most of these important commodities.  These minerals have high economic importance and considerable supply risk to geo-political uncertainties.

- (e) No sir.

&

(f)

- (g) & Department of Atomic Energy has communicated to Ministry of Mines that Beach Sand Minerals (BSM) are economic heavy minerals found in
- (h) the teri or beach sands, which include ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene, garnet, monazite, zircon and sillimanite. Of these, Monazite (mineral of Thorium and Uranium, which are radioactive in nature and have been notified as a  'prescribed  substance'  under  the  Atomic  Energy  Act,  1962)  has strategic applications. BSM is listed under Part B (Atomic Minerals) of the First Schedule of MMDR Act, 1957.  Hence, the said minerals need not  be  removed/re-scheduled  from  the  list  of  Atomic  Minerals  and  to continue  to  be  in  Part-B  of  the  First  Schedule.  The  proposal  for amendment to MMDR Act, 1957 is yet to be finalized.

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