The Department of Industries has sanctioned Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) to go ahead with its monazite value addition plan. Necessary clearances will also be sought from the Union government before the public sector unit starts its value addition project.
Kerala has about 1.9 million tonnes of monazite deposit, which contains about 55-60% rare earth oxides and thorium, a substance prescribed by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Currently, KMML and Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) are the only companies in the country that are licensed to mine and handle monazite.
Published – 24 Apr 2026 20:42 IST
