Monazite reserves pegged at 13.15 mn tonnes across 8 states: Reddy

The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has estimated significant rare earth minerals resources in beach sands and hard rocks, with 13.15 million tonnes of monazite identified in deposits from eight states.

Monazite is a reddish-brown, phosphate mineral rich in rare-earth elements (REEs) and thorium, primarily sourced from heavy mineral beach sands and igneous rocks.

"As on January 28, 2026, rare earth minerals resources estimated by AMD include 136 deposits of beach sand minerals containing 13.15 million tonnes of monazite (a mineral of thorium and rare earths) occurring in the coastal beach, teri/red sands and inland alluvium in parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand and West Bengal," Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said in the Rajya Sabha.

The deposits, containing about 7.23 million tonnes in-situ rare earth oxide (equivalent) resources, are located in coastal beach, teri/red sands and inland alluvium in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.

Additionally, AMD has identified three deposits of rare-earth minerals in hard rocks in Rajasthan and Gujarat, holding 1.29 million tonnes in-situ REO (eq) resources, Reddy said.

Monazite is a prescribed substance due to its association with radioactive elements uranium and thorium, placing mining, processing, and refining under strict government control.

India is one of three to four countries globally having capacity and capability in terms of plant, technology and skilled workforce in the rare-earth sector.

While India has adequate rare-earth resources and capabilities for extraction and refining, commercial mining and processing of these minerals have been limited due to lack of adequate technology, absence of mid-stream and downstream industries in the REE value chain, the minister said.