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In the nuclear power programme of the country, uranium plays the
key role. The  first
stage of three-stage programme of the Department is based
on PHWRs which are fuelled by natural uranium. The second
stage envisages utilization of plutonium produced in the
first stage and the third stage is based on thorium
fuel. Therefore, apart from uranium, AMD has also been engaged
in locating and evaluating the mineral resources of thorium and
other nuclear raw materials, such as zirconium, beryllium, lithium,
etc.
required for implementing the above programme. These minerals, such
as ilmenite, rutile (titanium minerals), zircon (zirconium mineral),
monazite (thorium and REE mineral)  along
with garnet and sillimanite, occur abundantly along the eastern
and western coastal plains of the country as well as in some inland
placers of Tamil Nadu, Bihar and West Bengal. Amongst these,
ilmenite, rutile, zircon and monazite are grouped as ‘prescribed
substances’ under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. AMD has the
mandate to explore and evaluate the resources of these minerals. Of the nearly 6000 km. coastal length of the country nearly one
third has been explored so far and a large tonnages of these minerals
established.
Uses
The beach sand and inland placer minerals find wide application
in both atomic energy and other industries. The salient uses of
these minerals are:
 Ilmenite:
It is a source mineral for titanium. It is used in garter springs
of a nuclear reactor
and as titanium pigment, titanium metal, and sand blasting
Rutile:
titanium pigment, titanium metal, welding rod flux
Leucoxene:
titanium pigment, welding rod flux
Zircon:
Zircalloys as cladding material for nuclear fuel, opacifier/ pigments
for ceramics, refractories,
zirconium metal production, abrasives
Monazite:
source for thorium, rare earth elements
Garnet:
Abrasives
Sillimanite:
Refractories
Resources
 There
are 27 deposits of beach sand and inland placer minerals identified
so far along the coastline and inland placers of India. The total
resources established in these deposits are given in Table.
Policy Resolution on Beach Sand
Minerals
Considering the large resource base of these minerals and growing
demand for their value added products it was decided by the Government to
allow Private Sector participation in this highly capital intensive
field. Accordingly, DAE has issued Policy Resolution, 1998 allowing
participation of entrepreneurs in
(i) Mining and Mineral separation
(ii) Value addition per se to the products of (i) above
(iii) Integrated activities (Comprising both (i) and (ii)
above)
Executive Summaries
Various summary reports on beach sand mineral deposits are now
made available to entrepreneurs on payment basis @ Rs.9,800/- or
Rs.22,500/- cost being dependent on whether the investigations
are of reconnaitory type or detailed type. The list
of executive summaries currently available for sale are given
in Table.
The reports on any other area, not listed above, can be generated
by AMD on specific request.
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