Domestic consumption of ilmenite has fallen from 2.37 lakh tonnes a year in 2008-09 to 1.19 lakh tonnes in 2013-14, according to Trimex.

Mining of monazite, however, is not open to the private sector due to its strategic importance of being the primary source of radio-active ...

The company currently has a single mining lease spread in 7.2 sq km area and has the permission to mine 2 million tonnes of beach sands.

Andhra Pradesh is keen to attract investment in exploration and mining of heavy minerals from beach sands.

Companies linked to close relatives of controversial former senior bureaucrat have cornered the lion’s share of licences in India’s first a...