Indian Express: Chennai: Sunday, January 21, 2018.
THE Union
government is mulling a proposal to re-introduce the Monazite Test Certificate
(MTC) system to liberalise export of all beach minerals to other countries.
This was
revealed by Ramesh Kumar of Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD), at a review
meeting organised by the Ministry of Mines to discuss issues relating to mining
and export of beach sand minerals in Tamil Nadu, chaired by Ministry joint
secretary Bipul Pathak at New Delhi on October 24, 2017.
All beach
minerals were permitted to be exported only on MTC system till 2007, when this
system was abolished. Re-introduction of MTC system was also discussed to
permit the lessees and traders to export minerals with MTC to be obtained from
Atomic Minerals Directorate.
This
information was disclosed in a reply by the Union Ministry of Mines on January
8 last in response to a query from N Pauldurai aka Perumal of Beach Mineral
Producers Association at Mahadevankulam in Tirunelveli district under the Right
to Information (RTI) Act.
Pathak said
due to stoppage of export of Garnet from Tamil Nadu, the Ministry had received
references from Embassies of India in Germany and US along with petitions from
mineral traders regarding the non-availability of Indian Garnet, which is used
in blasting and manufacture of high precision equipment. US and Germany are the
major consumers of Garnet from Tamil Nadu. Support from the Ministry has been
sought to resolve the impasse leading to non-availability of Garnet in the
international market as the situation has created insecurity among business
entities dependent on Garnet supply from India, he added.
The Ministry
has also been getting complaints alleging illegal mining and export of Monazite,
which is a prescribed substance.
Stopping of
mining operations of Garnet, Ilmenite and Rutile has affected the foreign
exchange earnings, but the problem has unfolded a new dimension with the
international traders requesting intervention of Centre for resolving the issue
of export of beach sand minerals for industries dependent on Ore (Garnet)
supply.
The Ministry
is also in receipt of a report from the Regional Labour Commissioner with
regard to the displacement of employment due to stoppage of mining operations
in the five southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
The ministry
was getting several complaints on illegal export of Monazite. This is also one
of the issues being heard by the Madras High Court in a PIL. It was stated
there is no credible basis to confirm export of Monazite. It was agreed upon
that the export of minerals is a serious issue and that steps should be taken
by working in close co-ordination between the central government, Indian Bureau
of Mines, Department of Customs, Atomic Minerals Directorate and Department of
Atomic Energy to prevent illegal export of Monazite.
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