Lok Sabha Question No. 17 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-07
Subject: Beach and |Sand Minerals
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Jayadev Galla

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 17 ANSWERED ON 07.12.2022

## BEACH AND SAND MINERALS

## 17.  SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the amount of beach and sand minerals present in the country from which rare earth metals can be extracted;
- (b) whether India is the 4th largest reserve in the world for rare earth metals;
- (c) if so, the mineral-wise details of the deposits present in the country;
- (d) the amount of rare earth metals used by the country along with the amount that is being imported, classified metal-wise for the last ten years;
- (e) whether the Government aims to improve mining of rare earth metals in the country from beach and sand minerals; and
- (f)  if so, whether private players are likely to be allowed to mine rare earth metals and if so, the number of private players currently mining rare earth metals in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINES, COAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) & (c):  The mineral monazite, containing ~ 55 - 60% total Rare Earth Elements (REE), is the major source for REE in India as on date.  As per the information provided by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Monazite (containing thorium and rare earth elements) in association with other economic heavy minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, zircon, garnet and sillimanite in unconsolidated form are found along the coastal and inland placer sands of the country. Statewise details of in-situ monazite and total heavy mineral resource established by AMD as on September, 2022 are given below :

| State          | Deposits   | Resource (in million tonnes)   | Resource (in million tonnes)   |
|----------------|------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| State          | Deposits   | Monazite                       | Total Heavy Minerals (THM)     |
| Odisha         | 13         | 3.22                           | 351.36                         |
| Andhra Pradesh | 25         | 4.05                           | 359.79                         |
| Tamil Nadu     | 50         | 2.47                           | 298.42                         |
| Kerala         | 35         | 1.84                           | 242.88                         |
| Maharashtra    | 5          | 0.004                          | 5.64                           |
| Gujarat        | 2          | 0.07                           | 12.53                          |
| West Bengal    | 1          | 1.20                           | 5.45                           |
| Jharkhand      | 1          | 0.21                           | 1.12                           |
| Total          | 132        | 13.07                          | 1,277.20                       |

- (b): Yes, Sir. As per the report of the U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January,  2022,  India  is  placed  as  having  world's  fourth-largest  reserves  of  Rare  Earth Elements.
- (d):  As per data provided by Ministry of Commerce & Industry, import figures are as under:

## [Values are in Million USD, figures of FY2022-23 are Provisional and Subject to Change]

(2012-13 to 2016-17)

| Itchs       | Commodity                                            | Unit   | 2012-13   | 2012-13   | 2013-14   | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | 2016-17   |
|-------------|------------------------------------------------------|--------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Itchs       | Commodity                                            | Unit   | Qty       | Value     | Qty       | Value     | Qty       | Value     | Qty       | Value     | Qty       | Value     |
| 28461010    | Cerium Oxides                                        | KGS    | 64722     | 1.03      | 67077     | 0.64      | 34852     | 0.55      | 32351     | 0.46      | 68871     | 0.31      |
| 28469010    | Rare Earth Oxides Nes                                | KGS    | 4363      | 0.16      | 129835    | 5.70      | 872       | 0.06      | 5769      | 0.15      | 791       | 0.04      |
| 28469020    | Rare Earth Fluorides Nes                             | KGS    |           |           | 5000      | 0.03      | 1000      | 0.05      | 5         | 0.01      | 109       | 0.01      |
| 28469030    | Rare Earth Chlorides Nes                             | KGS    | 1155      | 0.05      | 1005      | 0.02      | 21002     | 0.07      | 7005      | 0.01      | 21001     | 0.04      |
| 28469090    | Other Compnds Inorgnc/ Orgnc Of Rare Earth Materials | KGS    | 151247    | 3.86      | 169823    | 3.45      | 850069    | 5.35      | 242741    | 4.13      | 260171    | 3.70      |
| Grand Total |                                                      |        | 221487    | 5.09      | 372740    | 9.84      | 907795    | 6.08      | 287871    | 4.76      | 350943    | 4.09      |

(2017-18 to 2022-23)

| Itchs       | Commodity                                           | Unit   | 2017-18   | 2017-18   | 2018-19   | 2018-19   | 2019-20   | 2019-20   | 2020-21   | 2020-21   | 2021-22   | 2021-22   | 2021-22(Till Sep'21)   | 2021-22(Till Sep'21)   | 2022-23(Till Sep'22)   | 2022-23(Till Sep'22)   |
|-------------|-----------------------------------------------------|--------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
| Itchs       | Commodity                                           | Unit   | Qty       | Value     | Qty       | Value     | Qty       | Value     | Qty       | Value     | Qty       | Value     | Qty                    | Value                  | Qty                    | Value                  |
| 28461010    | Cerium Oxides                                       | KGS    | 968463    | 0.70      | 103955    | 0.46      | 102495    | 0.52      | 184250    | 2.04      | 112639    | 1.16      | 91876                  | 0.98                   | 138432                 | 1.30                   |
| 28469010    | Rare Earth Oxides Nes                               | KGS    | 4321      | 0.14      | 4604      | 0.16      | 10848     | 0.20      | 15176     | 0.20      | 17638     | 0.29      | 12185                  | 0.21                   | 5136                   | 0.13                   |
| 28469020    | Rare Earth Fluorides Nes                            | KGS    | 3013      | 0.03      | 7         | 0.03      | 3         | 0.01      | 102       | 0.01      | 3025      | 0.01      | 25                     | 0.00                   | 0                      | 0.00                   |
| 28469030    | Rare Earth Chlorides Nes                            | KGS    | 14002     | 0.04      | 14002     | 0.03      | 15004     | 0.02      | 20000     | 0.03      | 30002     | 0.05      | 20002                  | 0.03                   | 10000                  | 0.02                   |
| 28469090    | Other Compnds Inorgnc/Orgnc Of Rare Earth Materials | KGS    | 1346497   | 7.60      | 1052906   | 9.31      | 832370    | 11.35     | 510167    | 7.31      | 557031    | 7.66      | 350855                 | 4.77                   | 273614                 | 2.95                   |
| Grand Total |                                                     |        | 2336296   | 8.51      | 1175474   | 10.00     | 960720    | 12.10     | 729695    | 9.59      | 720335    | 9.17      | 474943                 | 6.00                   | 427182                 | 4.39                   |

(e)  &  (f):  Rare  Earth  metals  are  not  mined,  rather  they  are  produced  through  a  series  of beneficiation and extraction processes. As per the extant rules, private players are not allowed to mine rare earth elements associated with monazite from beach sand.

- *****