V. V. Mineral: Achievements and Recognitions

A practice to extract rare earth minerals through mining process from open pits, beaches, river beds etc. is known as sand mining. These rare earth minerals consist of 17 chemical elements. These rare earth minerals generally consist of elements like ilmenite, rutile, garnet, zircon, sillimanite, leucoxene and monazite. They are used in manufacturing consumer products and high tech applications.

Established in 1989, V. V. Mineral (VVM) is the largest manufacturer and exporter of rare earth minerals – ilmenite and granet. It is the first private ilmenite exporter in india. VVM have achieved noteworthy market share in Europe, the USA, Australia, East Asia and Middle East. VVM’s annual output is 7, 00,000 metric tonnes of heavy minerals, which includes garnet abrasive, ilmenite, zircon, rutile, sillimanite and leucoxene. VVM has been awarded with quite a number of awards. 

List of Achievements and Recognitions:

1.       CAPEXIL Top / SPECIAL EXPORT AWARD:

VVM has been awarded “Special Export Award” by the Government of India (Ministry of Commerce), CAPEXIL (Chemicals & Allied Products Export Promotion Council) consecutively for 21 years from 1990-1991 to 2009-2010 and VVM got “ Top Export Award” from CAPEXIL for the year 2010-11 and for the best export performance during the same year. This is yet another milestone of VVM History.

2.       INDIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARD

VVM has been receiving the Best Exporter Award from the INDIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY – TUTICORIN for the past 12 years since 2000 onwards.

3.       NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY AWARD :

For the achievement of the highest productivity and quality - VVM got “National Productivity Award” from the National Productivity Council – New Delhi –presented by the then President of India Dr. K.R. Narayanan during the year 2000. This is one more feather in the cap of VVM.

4.        MADITSSIA AWARD

“MADITSSIA – VISVESWARAYA AWARD” has been awarded several times for the Best Organization and Industry in the Southern Districts of TAMILNADU.

5.       IMS ( Integrated Management System)

IMS Certificate from TUV Germany by getting ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 in April 2011.

6.       Best Exporter Award from EPCES – Govt. of India.

Best Exporter Award from EPCES (Export Promotion Council for EOUs & SEZs) Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India consecutively for the past three years for the highest volume of export in EOU.

V. V. Minerals Expands Operations To Odisha

V. V. Minerals is planning for excavation and refining of the mineral in Odisha. The investment of this project is estimated to be around Rs 100 crores.

V. V. Minerals is a Tamil Nadu-based mining firm having largest market share in ilmenite production and exports, and one of the largest Indian companies in the sand mining business.

“We are planning to apply for 2-3 areas in Odisha for excavating ilmenite and garnet. We will also invest Rs 75 crore to 100 crore for establishing a mineral refining plant in the state,” said V Subramaniun, director of the firm. VVM is the first private exporter of ilmenite and is the leading manufacturer and exporter of the mineral.

 “Production of ilmenite has been slow in India due to tough regulations and limited awareness about it. The government must change its position on the mineral,” added Subramaniun.

“Along with the tough regulations, the processing of lease grant should be made faster if we want to tap its potential because apart from exports, the mineral will be in huge demand from domestic market in future,” said the V. V. Mineral official.

Ilmenite is upgraded to titanium dioxide to be used in consumer goods like paper, plastic, paint colour and cosmetic industries such as sunscreen. The proposal of V. V. Minerals is strategically important as Kolkata-based Saraf Agencies Private Ltd (SAPL) is constructing a titanium slag plant near Gopalpur with an investment of Rs 250 crore. These plants use ilmenite as feedstock.