Sand & Mineral Based Kerala.

DR. T H RI V I K RAM J I K .P. DEPART M EN T OF GEOLOGY (Re t d.) U N I V ERSI T Y OF K ERALA

3.18 CRORES (CENSUS, 2001) SIDE OF SUPPORT SQUARE 35 m 2 POPULATION DENSITY : 819/ km HIGHEST IN LOWLAND AND NEARLY SO IN MIDLAND AND DENSE POCKETS IN HIGHLAND. CHIEF MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD : NATURAL / AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

CLASS

ELEV., M

HIGH HIGHLAND

> 600.0

HIGHLAND

75.0 - 600.0

MIDLAND COASTAL LAND

8.0

75.0

<8.0

AREA, KM2

GEOLOGIC SKETCH

PRE-CAMBRIANCRYSTALLINE 7420 ROCKS CHARNOCKITES, KHONDALITES, GRANITE INTRUSIVES, 14357 YOUNGER DYKES LATERITE COVER AT LOWER ALTITUDES 13476

LATERITE COVER W/ CRYSTALLINE CORE

3610

TERTIARY SEDIMENTARY ROCKS & BEACH ALLUVIAM

H EAV Y M I N ERAL RESERV ES (CH AV ARA-T H RI K U N N APU Z H A) Raw Sand THM Ilmenite Rutile Leucoxene Zircon Monazite Garnet Sillimanite Kyanite Others

1645.51 MT 144.02 MT 88.48 MT 6.02 MT 4.31 MT 5.22 MT 0.99 MT 0.56 MT 34.38 MT 0.89 MT 3.28 MT

MINERAL Ilmenite Rutile Leucoxene Zircon Sillimanite

RESERVE COST (Million PER TON Tons) (Rs) 88.48 6.02 4.31 5.22 6.88

3600.0 28000.0 32000.0 32000.0 8000.0

TOTAL WORTH (Rs) 13272.0 9036.0 6459.0 9399.0 2062.0

M ine ra l

Ilmenite

Produc t ion, T /yr

I nc om e pe r ye a r, Rs (Crore s)

I nc om e I nc om e in 3 0 yr in 5 0 yr

1,000,000.0

150.0

3000.0

7500.0

100,000.0

150.0

3000.0

7500.0

Leucoxene

50,000.0

75.0

1500.00

3750.0

Zircon

80,000.0

144.0

288.0

7200.0

Sillimanite

40,000.0

12.00

240.0

600.0

1,270,000.0

425.0

6422.40

21240.0

Rutile

Total

TF OF BS = 3600 T VOL. OF 4.0 MT, THEN = 111.1m3 OR 1m THICK CAKE OF BLACK SAND SPREAD OVER 1.1 km2 OR 111.1 ha

111 ha 1.0 m

COME AND GO- WILL COME AGAIN TO GO- LEAVES TRAIL OF DEATH & DESTRUCTION - WISER ESCAPE BY STAYING OFF LIKE BIOSPHERE RESERVES SUCH AREAS BE DECLARED NON-LIVABLESPHERES OR UNFIT TO LIVE & SETTLE

STORM OF 7TH ONAM, 1982

TSUNAMI PROVED THE SIZE OF SUBSEA RESERVOIR OF MINERAL SAND IN THE CONTINENETAL SHELF MINERAL SAND HAD BEEN ACCUMULATING IN THE KERALA SHELF FROM PALEOCENE OR LATE CREATCEOUS, 65 Ma BEFORE PRESENT

ILMENITE

ILMENITE

ILMENITE

ILMENITE

I

I

I

I

II II

III

River Basin I, II Stream Order

PRODUCT OF ROCK WEATHERING TO LATERITE IN TROPICAL MONSOON CLIMATE A PROCESS TAKING ~1MA/METER SAND MAKING: A SLOW PROCESS. (@ 1mi/YR OR LOWER DENUDATION) DEMAND : ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE LARGER THAN MAKING

ROCKS WEATHER TO LATERITE IN TROPICAL MONSOON CLIMATE A PROCESS TAKING ~1MA/METER SAND MAKING: A SLOW PROCESS. (@ 1mi/YR OR LOWER DENUDATION) DEMAND FOR SAND: ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE LARGER THAN MAKING

RIVER SAND = >90% QUARTZ SP. GRAVITY = 2.65; HARDNESS = 6 CHEMICALLY INERT CHERTHALAI GLASS SAND & GOLDEN BEACH SAND: QUARTZ COMMON CRYSTALLINE ROCK: = Q0.33+F0.66+A0.01 SP.GRAVITY: ~2.78 1 m3 = 2.78 T & QUARTZ IS 0.9T TAKES 1.0 Ma TO GET

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