Lok Sabha Question No. 2250 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-02
Subject: Monopoly over Mineral Sand
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Giridhari Yadav

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2250 (OIH)

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2023

## MONOPOLY OVER MINERAL SAND

## 2250.  SHRI GIRIDHARI YADAV:

(OIH)

Will  the  Minister  of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  mineral  sand  more  than  1  mm  in  size  is  available  across  various  States  of  the country;
- (b) if so, the details of the States where the said sand is available;
- (c) whether all the suppliers of cement companies were directed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)  through  its  notification  issued  in  May,  2000  that  the  said  sand  is  to  be  mined  from Ennore/ Mudaliarkuppam of Tamil Nadu only;
- (d) whether  the  Tamil  Nadu  Mineral  Limited  has  monopoly  over  mineral  sand  mined  from Mudaliarkuppam or Ennore; and
- (e) if  so,  the  justification  of  compelling  suppliers  of  cement  companies  to  procure mineral  sand from Ennore/Mudaliarkuppam of Tamil Nadu only?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ( श्री अश्विनी कु मार चौबे )

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) & (b) : The  source  of  standard  sand  in  India  was  first  arrived  at  in  1955  based  on  a study at that time comparing various sources within the country with that of the then imported sand (namely Leighton Buzzard sand from UK).  The sand available in Ennore, TamilNadu was ultimately found  useful  as  per  the  study  and  hence  was  included  in  IS  650  as  the  standardized  sand  for  the purpose,  having  three  fractions/sizes.    Over  the  years  and  based  on  further  studies,  the  source  at Mudaliarkuppam (in Tamil Nadu) was permitted to be used as Standard Sand for the fraction/size 1 mm and above to less than 2 mm.

While, ordinary sand of 1 mm and above may be available in different places in the country, size is not the only criteria for 'Standard Sand' and is one of the 3 fractions as indicated in the Indian Standard IS 650:1991 on 'standard sand'.

As  per  IS  650:1991  and  its  second  amendment,  there  are  additional  sources  indicated  from  where Standard Sand could be mined and used, particularly for testing of cement towarding standardizing the quality of cement by using standard sand in the testing process.

(c)  : All cement companies are required to test cement for appropriate requirements using Standard Sand  conforming  to    the  Indian  standard,  IS  650:1991  'Standard  Sand  for  Testing  Cement  Specification ( second revision )' read with its amendment no 1&2.  As per the standard, the different fractions (sizes) of the Standard Sand have to be sourced from Ennore /  Mudaliarkuppam /VadaAgaram/ Pallambakkam as specified in the standard through Tamil Nadu Mineral Ltd, Chepauk, Chennai-5 (a state-government undertaking owned by Government of Tamil Nadu).  The standard sand is supplied in three fractions:

| Specific Source                                                                                                                             | Particle Size                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mudaliarkuppam, Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                  | Smaller than 2mm and greater than1mm                                                                                                        |
| Pallambakkam, Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                    | Smaller than 1mm and greater than 500 microns; and smaller than 500 microns but greater than 90 microns                                     |
| VadaAgaram, Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                      | Smaller than 1mm and greater than 500 microns; and smaller than 500 microns but greater than 90 microns                                     |
| NOTE - Supplies of the standard sand may be obtained from Tamil Nadu Mineral Ltd, 31, KamarajarSalai, 'TWAD House', Chepauk, Chennai 600005 | NOTE - Supplies of the standard sand may be obtained from Tamil Nadu Mineral Ltd, 31, KamarajarSalai, 'TWAD House', Chepauk, Chennai 600005 |

(d) & (e) : The 'standard sand' is a unique material used as fine aggregate while assessing the  quality  of  cement  by  way  of  casting  cement-sand  cubes  and  testing  such  cubes  for  compressive strength  to  determine  the  28  days  strength  of  cement.   For  any  type  of  cement  to  be  tested  (for compressive strength), the other material (sand) needs to be constant.  Thus, a 'Standard Sand' sourced from a specified place and having a specific quality, is used to test the cement for its conformity to the respective Indian standard specification(s).  As is the practice in other countries, to obtain the quality of cement, one 'Standard Sand' is uniformly used in India also.

To ensure the uniformity of cement testing and the comparability of the test results throughout the nation, it was imperative that a single source of sand be utilized throughout the nation for testing of cement.

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