The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is contemplating exploring minerals available along the coast of Krishna and Guntur districts, according to a highly placed source.
According to Assistant Director of Mines and Geology Subramanyaswami, the Geological Survey of India has confirmed the presence of beach sand minerals —ilmenite, rutile, zircon, garnet and silliminate — on the coastline of the two districts and its feasibility is under study.
The Central government had earlier permitted extraction of the heavy sand minerals in the Srikurmam and Bhavanapadu placer deposits along the Bay of Bengal in Srikakulam district by Trimex Sands Private Limited and Transworld Garnet of India.
Some beach sand mining companies have already applied, expressing interest in the beach sand mining in Guntur and Krishna districts, particularly between Machilipatnam and Krutthivennu.
“We have received several applications for mining heavy minerals in Guturur district,” a senior State Mines and Geology department official told The Hindu .
Krishna District Collector B. Lakshmi Kantham said a proposal had been received from a company for the beach sand mining in Krishna district and it was under scrutiny.
A Delhi-based State government official told The Hindu that the NMDC and the AP Mineral Development Corporation were studying the issue. In beach sand mining, the sand collected from the beach is dumped in the same area after extracting the minerals without leading to any adverse impact on the coast.
