India’s Coastal Beaches Hold 1309 Million Tonnes of Heavy Minerals: Govt
These deposits include strategic minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene, monazite, zircon, garnet and sillimanite, which are vital for sectors ranging from aerospace and electronics to clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu emerge as major repositories of beach sand minerals including ilmenite, garnet and zircon
New Delhi: India’s coastal regions contain an estimated 1,309.42 million tonnes of heavy mineral resources, including beach sand minerals and inland placer deposits, according to data presented in Parliament on Wednesday.
The information was provided in a written reply in the Lok Sabha by Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences.
The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research under the Department of Atomic Energy has identified economically significant deposits of beach sand minerals in coastal stretches of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
These deposits include strategic minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene, monazite, zircon, garnet and sillimanite, which are vital for sectors ranging from aerospace and electronics to clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
Data placed before Parliament shows that odisha, andhra pradesh and tamil nadu account for a large share of the country’s deposits. Odisha has around 172.25 million tonnes of ilmenite, while Andhra Pradesh holds about 178.75 million tonnes, and Tamil Nadu about 191.29 million tonnes. Kerala also has substantial reserves, particularly of sillimanite and garnet-bearing sands.
Monazite, one of the key minerals found in beach sand deposits, is significant because it contains rare earth elements and thorium. However, its extraction is complex due to its radioactive nature and requires strict regulatory clearances and specialized mining processes.
The Union Budget 2026 announced plans to support rare earth corridors in mineral-rich coastal states such as odisha, kerala, andhra pradesh and tamil nadu. These corridors aim to promote mining, processing, research and manufacturing related to rare earth elements and associated minerals.
The initiative is intended to strengthen India’s position in the global rare earth supply chain by boosting production of NdPr and samarium oxides, supporting domestic manufacturing of rare earth magnets and creating value chains linked to titanium and zirconium industries.
Officials noted that the development of these mineral corridors could help position India as a global hub for rare earths, titanium and other critical minerals, supporting both industrial growth and strategic requirements.
