| Abstract Submission No. | ABS-2.1-0058 |
| Title of Abstract | Critical and strategic minerals in Indian coastal placer deposits and marine crusts & nodules |
| Authors | Dr. Yamuna Singh* |
| Organisation | University of Hyderabad |
| Address | Flat G-07, Block G, Rainbow Vistas @ Rock Garden, Phast 2, Green Hills Road, OPP. IDL, Moosapet Hyderabad, Telangana, India Pincode: 500018 E-mail: yamunasingh2002@yahoo.co.uk |
| Country | India |
| Presentation | Oral |
| Abstract | The growing demand for critical and strategic minerals (CSMs) is due to their requirements in high-tech electronics, telecommunications, transport, defense, food security, green energy and advanced technology fields. In this regard, CSMs resources hosted in beach sand deposits along the eastern, southern and southwestern coastal stretches of India and those hosted in marine crusts and nodules assume significance. Work carried out by various institutes (GSI, AMD, IREL, NIO, NCPOR, IMMT, Universities, etc.) over the years revealed significant results. Various CSMs which have significant concentrations along the coastal deposits include REE (monazite), Ti (ilmenite: 50-60% TiO2, up to 0.50% V2O5; leucoxene: up to 70% TiO2; rutile) and Zr (zircon). Apart from La and Ce, monazite from beach placers deposits of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala coasts contain (average) 10% Nd2O3, which is in great demand for permanent magnets for renewable energy. Focused work mainly on polymetallic Fe-Mn crusts and nodules in the Central Indian Ocean below the ocean surface also yielded encouraging concentrations of CSMs like REE, Co, Cu and Ni. Interestingly, besides Mn (18-36 Wt.%) and Fe (5-15 Wt.%), the nodules contain very high amount of Cu (up to 1.86 Wt.%), Ni (up to 1.54 Wt.%) and Co (up to 0.40 Wt.%). The REE concentrations in Fe-Mn crusts from Afanasy Nikitin Seamount revealed 1209 ppm Ce (average), which is higher compared to Ce content (718 ppm) in mid-Pacific seamount nodules. Besides Fe-Mn crusts and nodules from Indian Ocean (REE upto 2511 ppm), crusts and nodules from Andaman Sea also contain attractive amounts of REE (up to 1900 ppm), with high Ni (upto 7860 ppm) and Co upto 2213 ppm) contents, besides Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir and Pt. In view of the economic CSMs concentrations, recently India signed an agreement with International Seaboard Authority for deep-sea mining exploration. |
| Keywords | Critical and strategic minerals, Coastal placer deposits, Marine crusts and nodules, India |