Beach Minerals from Western Ghats transported to sea by rivers, unless failed to mine within time it become waste and portion goes to Sri Lanka

These placer minerals are the resultant products of Kondalite rocks occurring on the high ranges of the Western Ghats.  These rocks get disintegrated due the process of weathering , erosion and washed off from the Hill tops and transported  down the slopes during rainy season through the river course on the plains and eventually into the sea.   Therefore, this geological process can take place only in select places wherever the host rock containing these placer minerals occurs on the hill top.  Therefore, the process of transportation and deposition are dependent on the intensity of rain fall and the velocity of surface run off.   Therefore, there is a wild day to day and season to season fluctuations of the deposition of these minerals in the coastal areas.    In the coastal tract also these deposits are washed ashore on the beaches during high tides.  These deposits of placer minerals are also subjected to be carried away by the wind action towards inlands.  This is the reason for vast accumulation of placer minerals on the inland patta lands which are situated away from the beach due to the aeolian action. The deposited heavy minerals are further transported to the inland by the wind action. The lessee cannot prevent the same. But he can collect the minerals deposited in his mining lease area. This was confirmed by the Honourable High Court Judgment in W.P. No. 5386/97 and W.A.No. 69 of 1998.

Even on the continental shelf portion also it is to be pointed out that if these deposits are not allowed to be exploited, there is a possibility of these placer minerals being washed away deep into the sea of other regions also.  An officer by name Shri.Ramanan of Indian Bureau of Mines had conducted a detailed study for two years and submitted a report  on this particular matter of placer minerals being washed away from Indian seashore into other places like Sri Lanka and elsewhere.   The report further highlights that this results in loss of mineral wealth to our country and also employment opportunity to several thousand workers in India in addition to foreign exchange earnings.