Chennai: The Centre through Geological Survey of India will submit maps and photographs of five sites in Tamil Nadu, where the state has potential to mine platinum, iron ore and rare earth elements.
The state department of mining can explore the commercial value of these sites, once the central notification now under process is finished, S. Raju, Deputy Director General of Geology told Deccan Chronicle.
After six years of platinum and other investigations in Tamil Nadu, 25 sites threw surprises for our geologists and of this, 10 spots were explored in detail and the same was shared to the centre recently.
Of the 10 explored areas, five spots including Thuraipadi in Thiruvannamalai, Thirumangaradhu in Tiruppur, Sambalpatti in Rasipuram, Sanganagiri in Tiruchengode and Namakkal have been found to be viable sites for commercial mining.
Platinum group of elements are showing positive trends in Thiruvannamalai and Sithampundi in Nammakal, which also has rich nickel and chromium deposits. Rasipuram is also having rare earth elements.
The Union Ministry of Mines will share details such as digital mapping of the site along with the nature of minerals found in these sites which run in to several hectares.
There are also small private areas during our exploration showing signs of minerals, but such sites will not be commercially viable due to their small geographic size. Now it is for the state to float global tenders to identify the right firms with expertise to tap the minerals, he added.
According to sources at the state-run Tamil Nadu Minerals Ltd, the iron ore usually found in the state is not of superior quality and the new findings by the GSI has to be examined in detail.
Recently GSI and Union ministry of mining had also submitted a representation seeking state’s intervention in the granite mining issue suspended due to illegal quarrying in Madurai.
According to GSI sources, Tamil Nadu has rich sources of minerals and there are rocks found with rich magnesium oxide content of above 30 per cent and 30 colours of granites are found in Madurai region of TN.
