Industries department accords sanction to Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited to go ahead with value addition of monazite

The Industries department has accorded sanction to the Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) to proceed with its plan for value addition of monazite. Necessary permissions will also be sought from the Union government before the public sector unit goes ahead with its value addition project.

Kerala has around 1.9 million tonnes of monazite deposit, which contains about 55-60% Rare Earth Oxides and thorium, a prescribed substance to be handled by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Currently, the KMML and the Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) are the only companies in the country having the permission for mining and handling of Monazite.