[Solved] With reference to India, consider the following statements: Monazite is a source of rare earths. Monazite contains thorium. Monazite occurs naturally in the entir 4. Indian coastal sands in India. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Q28) With reference to India, consider the following statements:

1. Monazite is a source of rare earths.
2. Monazite contains thorium.
3. Monazite occurs naturally in the entir
4. 4. Indian coastal sands in India.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 1, 2 and 4 only
3. 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: 2

· Monazite is a mineral – rare earths and thorium-a prescribed substance to be handled by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

· Accordingly, Indian Rare Earths Ltd. (IREL) wholly owned by the Govt. of India, under the administrative control of the Dept. of Atomic Energy (DAE) utilises monazite mainly for production of rare earth compounds, and thorium, as needed in the Department of Atomic Energy.

· Note – Thorium is mainly obtained from monazite and ilmenite in the beach sands along the coast of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. World’s richest monazite deposits occur in Palakkad and Kollam districts of Kerala, near Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Mahanadi river delta in Odisha