Beach Sand Minerals -The Treasure of Kerala Prospects of Beach Sand Mineral based industries and strategies

摘要

The history of Indian titanium bearing mineral industry goes back to 1909 when a German national, Mr. Shoemburg, discovered the presence of monazite in the black beach sand of the Arabian seacoast. Monazite was in great demand in those days for mantle lamps. The demand for monazite subsided subsequently due to the increased availabi-lity of electricity in Europe. Attention was diverted to the export of ilmenite with the progress of pigment industry abroad. Accordingly, the first shipment of ilmenite from India left Chavara in 1922.