1. Monazite is a source of rare earths.

2. Monazite contains thorium.

3. Monazite occurs naturally in the entire Indian coastal sands in India.

4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1, 2 and 4 only

(c) 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 

Ans: b

Explanation:

The coastal region of peninsular India contains economically important minerals such as garnet, ilmenite, leucoxene, monazite, rutile, sillimanite and zircon commonly known as beach sand minerals.

Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Thorium is mainly obtained from monazite and ilmenite in the beach sands along the coast of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 

Hence, statement 2 is correct.

World’s richest monazite deposits occur in Palakkad and Kollam districts of Kerala, near Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Mahanadi river delta in Odisha.

Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a wholly owned Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India (GOI) under DAE, is the only entity which has been permitted to produce and process monazite, and handle it for domestic use as well as for export.

A license from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) under the Atomic Energy (Working of the Mines, Minerals and Handling of Prescribed Substances) Rules 1984 promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act 1962 is necessary for exporting monazite.

Hence, statement 4 is correct.

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