50 Villages In Ajmer On Development Road, Says Vaikundarajan

Over 50 villages in the district of Ajmer have been identified by the local authorities as mining-affected areas. The managing committee of Mineral Foundation Trust found that these villages suffer heavily due to lack of health and educational reforms. The villages are not connected by good roads and there is a shortage of drinking water. “To curb these problems, the managing committee will issue a programme where 10% of the royalty on minerals will be dedicated to the betterment of the villages,” informs Vaikundarajan, founder of VV Minerals India.

Ajmer is known to be the leading mining regions in the state for quartz, phosphorous, lead, building stones and similar minerals. Most villagers here work in the mines. The shortage of water affects the health of villagers and children in a great way. At this point, setting up a programme to improve the lifestyle of villagers and get them the basic requirements is the need of the hour.

“Taking all of this into consideration, the district administration has proposed ways to improve the health facilities, pollution control system and school education for children. The proposal will be presented to the council of the foundation,” adds Vaikundarajan. 

Underuse of Rare Earth Minerals

As per industry reports, the rare earth industry in India is underused and lies wasted. The Indian Rare Earth Industry is worth Rs. 90,000 crore of annual turnover.

As per estimates by Beach Minerals Producers Association, the industry can net a capital employment of about Rs 121,000 crore.

The rare earths found in India are one of the most significant ones. Collectively called Beach Sand Minerals (BSM), they include Ilmenite, Sillimanite, Garnet, Zircon, Monazite and Rutile and amount for almost 35 per cent of the world’s total beach sand mineral deposits.

"In 1998, they started freeing up the industry and in 2006, those minerals were taken off the prescribed substances list and for some reason, they have recently been put back on. So, the country has actually gone backwards. There is no justification," said Grant Smith, director-overseas operations at V. V. Minerals. "No one is getting the licences. It has been reserved specifically for PSUs through the DAE (department of atomic energy). So, at the moment, it is only the IndiaRare Earths and the Kerala operations."

"There is a perception here in India that monazite is an atomic mineral. It is actually not. Monazite is just a mineral that contains thorium and very very small amounts of uranium. But the major constituent in monazite is rare earth," said Smith. "In today’s world, China controls over 95 per cent of the rare earth market. India is not realizing any potential. You have to separate the mineral monazite from its constituents. None of the other rare earths have any thorium in them. They are associated in the ore body but not in the actual mineral."

C Swamydas, chief advisor for V V Minerals, said that proposals have been given to take on all the cost of setting up the plant, and even pay to let the atomic energy department put its own people process monazite. He added that, "We shall give the thorium (produced) to the government for free. They can store it for future use."

Though there is so much potential and scope, the industry lacks clear policies for beach and sand mining. This results in unclear rules and misleading on allegations of illegal sand mining beach mining companies.

Goa Government Lifts Mining Transportation Ban

In a positive move for the mining industry, the Goa government has finally permitted the state mining industry to resume its operation in Goa. “The Goa government had restricted mining operation due to monsoons. With the monsoons behind us, mining industry can resume its operations,” says Vaikundarajan, founder of VV Minerals India, one of the largest sand beach mining companies in India.

Mining operations should be in full swing by the start of October. Prasanna Acharya, director of Mines and Geology, issued a statement informing the mining companies of the ban having been lifted.

The transportation of mineral by road was banned in the interest of public safety after some accidents on the main road came to light. On the request of locals, the government decided to ban transportation of minerals till monsoon had rescinded.

“Public safety is of utmost importance. With the lack of mining transportation roads in Goa, the trucks took to main road. A couple of accidents were reported by locals and the government was quick to take an action. Transportation was suspended till monsoon was over. The government also plans to construct a dedicated road for mining transportation,” says Vaikundarajan.

Thorium Scam Doesn’t Exist, Says Vaikundarajan

The World Nuclear Association stated that India has seen a considerable decline in the amount of thorium deposits. The beach minerals have depleted from 300000 tonnes to 200000 tonnes across the Indian coastline. Monazite quantity has also decreased by more than 2.1 million tonnes.

Being the largest producer of Garnet and Ilmenite, VV Minerals is being scrutinised by the stake holders. However, S Vaikundarajan, founder of VV Minerals stated, “The mineral rich sand is getting washed away from the Indian coastline in the absence of mining, and as a result, Sri Lanka, located further down, is reaping rich benefits at the cost of Indian industry.”

To pull off a scam of such extent is impossible for one company alone. Due to global warming, the rising water level is causing a lot of problems across the world. With the water moving in on the shores, India may lose a lot of mineral reserves. Soon, India may also lose its Thorium rich status.

Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL), a public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), is the only company exporting Monazite said V Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), to the Lok Sabha, on November 30, 2011. Monazite is a source of Thorium.

“Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxene, Garnet, Sillimanite and Zircon are separated from beach sands and these individual heavy minerals — free of Monazite — are being exported.” said the Minister.

No licence or permission is required from DAE for these substances due to the delisting of Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon, etc. from the list of prescribed substances, said V Narayanasamy.

VV Minerals Asked To Re-submit The Draft Scheme

The Madras High Court addressed by Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice TS Sivagnanam set aside an order quashing the rejection of mining scheme of one of the leading mining companies VV Minerals and Transworld Garnet India. The court noted that the order issued by the Single Bench was bereft of any reason and did not deal with the respective submissions of the learned counsel for the parties.

VV Minerals India had submitted a plea to cure the defects examined by the bureau in the draft mining scheme. The compliances will not have to be resubmitted and examined in accordance with the law by the authority.

Thorium Scam Made-Up To Defame VV Minerals India

The World Nuclear Association estimated 3,00,000 tonnes of Thorium deposit in India. However, in recent years India has seen a depletion of these deposits. As per the reports, around 2,00,000 tonnes of Thorium-Oxide is missing from the country. Along with Thorium, Monazite quantity has also seen a decline along the coastline by more than 2.1 million tonnes.

VV Minerals, the largest sand beach mining company, has been at the receiving end of a Thorium scam. These allegations against the company cannot be justified simply because VV Minerals is the largest producer of Garnet and Ilmenite. VV Minerals stated, “The mineral rich sand is getting washed away from the Indian coastline in the absence of mining, and as a result, Sri Lanka, located further down, is reaping rich benefits at the cost of Indian industry.”

As per some allegations, Thorium scam is reported to be worth 96,000 crore rupees. It is practically impossible for one company to pull off a scam of such extent. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan further explains that the rising water level from global warming is also responsible for these depletions. “The water is moving is on the shores resulting in India losing a lot of mineral reserves,” he explains. At this rate, India may soon lose its Thorium rich status.

Currently, Indian Rare Earths Ltd is the only company exporting Monazite. Other minerals such as Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxene, Garnet, Silimanite and Zircon are separated from beach sands before exporting. No licence or permission is required from DAE to export these minerals due to their delisting from the list of prescribed substances.

VV Mineral Vaikundarajan believes that these are natural problems that need to be dealt with. Allegations against the company are complete fabrication and will lead to nothing.

Mining Scam Allegations Against VV Mineral Surface Without Any Proof

VV Minerals is the largest producer and exporter of Garnet and Ilmenite minerals in India. Founded in the late 1980s by S Vaikundarajan, the company has established itself as one of the leading sand beach mining companies in the country. However, the efforts of two decades have been jeopardised by the recent allegations of illegal mining against the company.

The allegations were further aggravated when V Sundaram, the first district collector of Tirunelveli, sent a letter to the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu. The letter targeted VV Mineral and accused it of amassing several crore rupees through illegal sand beach mining.

The director of VV Mineral Mining, V Subramanian, dismissed all the allegations as a conspiracy theory against the company. “Sundaram is passing this as a cruel joke. He is on the payroll of our business rival... Our hands are clear. We will come out clear from these allegations. Our records are straight,” Ravindram Duraiswami, advocate for VV Mineral told NDTV.

V Subramanian Speaks On The Growth Of Heavy Minerals Industry

VV Mineral, one of the largest exporters of beach minerals in India, was founded by  VV Mineral Vaikundarajan in the late 1980s. It has won several national awards for its contribution to the export business. In an interview with Governance Today, V Subramanian speaks on India’s position in the global market and its growth.

Governance Today: What is the size of heavy minerals market in India?

V Subramanian: India has nearly 35% of world deposits but contributes only 4% of global production. The total beach sand resources in India are 942.58 million tonnes comprising of Ilmenite, Zircon, Rutile, Garnet, Sillimanite and Leucoxene.

Governance Today: How much does heavy minerals constitute in the total mining done in India?

V Subramanian: A paltry two per cent of the entire mining is done in India. Although India possesses the world’s largest reserves of heavy mineral sands at 25%-28%, its exploitation is very low at 5%- 6%.

Governance Today: What is the utility of the minerals and how are they important for Indian economy?

V Subramanian: Heavy minerals have a critical application in industries such as electronics, ceramics, pigments, paints, paper, plastics, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defence. As you can see, they are important for our economy as they contribute to a large number of industries.

Governance Today: What are the major policy bottlenecks that are affecting industry growth despite the scope?

V Subramanian: Private sector gained entry in the market only 3 decades ago. The sector is growing and needs government’s support and backing. Some of the policy bottlenecks responsible holding us back are:

• Mining and processing clearance is a long procedure with 18 government agencies involved
• Ministry of Environment and Forest has 30 conditions in place for clearing mining. Some of them are impracticable
• CRZ requirements are not in favour of beach mineral industry
• Export licenses are to be renewed every year

Governance Today: What are the opportunities in this sector?

V Subramanian: We have an opportunity to benefit nearly 30,000 crore to the exchequer. The growth of mining industry will be a boost to India’s GDP. Private companies contribute about 5% of the world’s heavy mineral production. With the government’ support, this number can go up to 50% of the world’s production.

Governance Today: Where do you foresee this industry in next five years?

V Subramanian: The industry has a potential to grow up to 30-50 per cent in the next five years.

Governance Today: What is your annual output of heavy minerals each year in India?

V Subramanian: We export close to 7,00,000 tonnes of heavy minerals each year which is valued at Rs 850 crores approximately.

Governance Today: What is the infrastructure of VV Minerals and who are its close competitors?

V Subramanian: VV Mineral owns about 9 Mineral separation plants with each dry plant having its own pre-concentration plants, a huge fleet of trucks and earth moving equipment, 12 warehouses with a storage capacity of 600,000 tonnes, a full-fledged R&D Department, Exploration team with Drill Rig, Centralised laboratory and first of its kind Ship loader (which can load 21,000 tonnes/ day). We have few fellow mineral producers in India, namely Indian Rare Earth (Government of India), Trimex Sands, Indian Ocean Garnet Sands, and few other small companies.

Governance Today: What support do you need for developing heavy minerals mining in India?

VSubramanian: Quick clearance for the mining industry

• Export incentives that allow India to be a competitive player in global market
• Restrictive import policy 
• Simplification in process for MoEF as well as CRZ clearances

Lastly, there is not a single large scale independent mine operating in free market conditions in India. Ironically, the fallout of the restrictions imposed by has resulted in benefiting China which controls 90 per cent of the industry.

None Of the Allegations Against Company Are True, Says VV Minerals India

VV Minerals India has made a name for itself in the sand mining industry. It has won several national awards for its contribution to the export business. It is also the largest manufacturer and exporter of Garnet and Ilmenite in India. The company was established by VV mineral Vaikundarajan in the late 1980s and has grown under his tutelage. However, the recent scam surrounding illegal beach sand mining has put the company’s reputation at stake.

Following the allegations, the district collector of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, Ashish Kumar conducted a raid on VV Mineral warehouse. The raid was unsuccessful and Ashish Kumar received the marching orders. His previous assignment lasted only 45 days. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan was accused of using his political influence to initiate the transfer.

The company is further accused of exporting Thorium, a strategic nuclear fuel that is banned from exporting. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan cleared the controversy stating that the technology to separate Monazite from Ilmenite in sand doesn’t exist. The company is still seeking permission from the government to set up a plant for separating Monazite and Thorium from Ilmenite.

VV Minerals Denies Charges Of Illegal Monazite Mining

Periyasamypuram in Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu, has been the centre of storm for last few years, because of the numerous raids conducted on suspicion of illegal beach mining.

On January 23, 2013, a PIL was filed to be heard in the Madras High Court (HC), asking the court to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe illegal beach sand mining. The PIL alleged that rare beach sand minerals worth Rs 1 lakh crore have been illegally exported out of the country. The PIL mentions the set of mining licences issued by the Tamil Nadu Geology and Mining Department to VV Minerals based in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. These licences authorise the private company to mine and export monazite.

Monazite is an atomic mineral found in the beach sands of the southern and eastern coasts of the country. Minerals found in the sands of these beaches along with Monazite include Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon and Garnet. Monazite can be processed to remove Thorium and Uranium, both of which are nuclear fuels. The Tamil Nadu government has approved licences to VV Mineral Mining to mine Monazite. VV Mineral is the largest player in the country in the rare earths space. These approvals were issued by the centre in 2002-03.

VV Minerals India chairman has mentioned a number of times that various committees had probed the area and found no evidence of illegal heavy mineral mining. He denied charges of illegal Monazite mining and exports. "Look at the documents, they are only inclusion of minerals," said VV Mineral.

"The state can include minerals to the original lease. There is no illegality. In fact, we are the only company to have environmental clearances for all our quarries," VV Minerals.

There have also been allegations of environmental and health issues, especially kidney ailments, plaguing the residents living along Tamil Nadu's southern coastline, but there is no substantial information to establish any link between kidney ailments and mining.

Beach Sand Mining Scam Worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore In Tamil Nadu

Outrage has become a common way of life in the village of Periyasamypuram in Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu. The locals took the law in their hands by holding hostage a sand mining truck of VV Minerals as it was preparing to leave for a delivery. They also battered the driver before letting him go. The police inspector of Surangudi and the village administrative officer rushed to the spot and tried to talk sense into the villagers, but they did not budge.

VV Minerals India is one of the largest sand mining companies in India. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan, is of the belief that the people are being fed deceptive information and forced to do such publicity stunts. A PIL alleges that rare beach sand minerals worth Rs 1 lakh crore have been illegally exported out of the country. VV Minerals, being one of the largest sand manufacturers and exporters, has been purportedly framed in this case.

VV Mineral Mining is legally authorised to manufacture and export Garnet with 1% cent Monazite content as presently no one in India has the technical support for the separation of Monazite. The Managing Director of VV Mineral said that the company has never gone beyond the one per cent threshold for Monazite while exporting Garnet. Garnet is the core product of VV Minerals and it is the largest exporter of Garnet in the country.

VV Mineral Has No Aide From Any Politician

In the wake of elections in the state of Tamil Nadu, old allegations are being given a new twist altogether. To believe the rumours, VV Mineral Vaikundarajan is the owner of a company in which Jayalalitha has invested her black money. 

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and this time around the opposition got too desperate to point a finger at Jayalalitha, the expected winner of the 2016 Tamil Nadu elections. The rumours on VV Mineral, the family business of S Vaikundarajan, are the favourite talk of the town for the people of Tamil Nadu. So, it might have seemed easy to link them and fool the common man. But the assumption itself seems preposterous in the first place.

Further theories also suggest that Jayalalitha has been helping Vaikundarajan throughout all the controversies that surround VV Minerals. Apparently, these financial links between Vaikundarajan and Jayalalitha have been traced by the Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party. Well, such a revelation coming from opposition just before the elections in itself says quite a lot about the nature of information being given to the common man.

But, this is not just where it ends. AAP has also alleged that Jayalalitha is also involved in the illegal beach mining going on in Tamil Nadu and VV Minerals India is linked to it.

VV Mineral Mining is the largest beach-mining company in India. It specialises in the mining, production and export of Garnet and Ilmenite. The company is booming under the leadership of the young Managing Director.

We Have The Legal Documents To Mine And Export VV Minerals India

One of the leading sand beach mining companies in the country, VV Minerals India was founded by S Vaikundarajan in the late 1980s. Under his leadership, the company has won several national awards for its contribution to the export business.

In the wake of recent illegal beach sand mining allegations, the company has found itself under harsh criticism and scrutiny. The company’s hard earned reputation hangs by a thin thread despite no substantial proof to support any allegations. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan, however, insists that the company has operated within legal boundaries for over two decades. He further states that the allegation is a plot by competitors to defame the company.

An investigation team was set up by the then Chief Minister Jayalalitha to probe in to the matter concerning five districts across Tamil Nadu. IAS Officer Gagandeep Singh Bedi was appointed the chief of this special investigation team.

Thorium Scam Not A Reality - VV Mineral Mining

As reported by World Nuclear Association (WNA), the global body of nuclear industry, India hosts 3,00,000 tonnes of Thorium deposit. However, recent studies suggest that these beach minerals have seen depletion compared to past records. It is estimated that close to 2,00,000 tonnes of Thorium Oxide is missing from India. Monazite quantity along the Indian coastline has also seen a decrease by more than 2.1 million tonnes.

VV Minerals is known to be the largest firm producing Garnet and Ilmenite. The spotlight has suddenly moved to the company as stakeholders have begun scrutinizing a possible scam. Chairman, founder of VV Minerals India was quick to refute all allegations. “The mineral rich sand is getting washed away from the Indian coastline in the absence of mining, and as a result, Sri Lanka, located further down, is reaping rich benefits at the cost of Indian industry,” he added.

To pull off a scam of such extent seems practically impossible for one company. In this scenario, S VV Mineral Vaikundarajan explanation seems more realistic. India is under the threat of losing its thorium rich status due to the rising water-level caused from global warming.

V Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office in Lok Sabha was quoted, “Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL), a public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), is the only company exporting Monazite. Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxene, Garnet, Sillimanite and Zircon are separated from beach sands and these individual heavy minerals — free of Monazite — are being exported. No licence or permission is required from DAE for these substances due to the delisting of Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon etc. from the list of prescribed substances”, said V Narayanasamy.

Following the scam allegations, the State Government has set up an investigation team to look into the matter. VV Mineral Mining involvement in the scam is yet to be proved. Meanwhile, VV Mineral Vaikundarajan has openly supported the investigating committee and believes that the results will be in favour of the company.

Baseless Illegal Beach Mining Accusations On VV Minerals

Rumours are making the rounds that there have been losses due to illegal mining business of minerals Ilmenite and Garnet, and they amount to Rs. 96,000 crores.

VV Minerals, the largest beach minerals export firm, is one of the major companies getting reputational setbacks. Inevitably, S Vaikundarajan, director of VV Minerals, has come under scrutiny. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan is a media-shy person and prefers to lead a simple man’s life. His usual attire is a shirt and traditional white dhoti. From what his acquaintances describe success hasn’t come easy to him. VV Minerals and chairman was an easy target for the accusations. But these false accusations have never stopped him from working towards his beliefs and welfare of his people.

Ashwin Kumar, IAS, as a Collector of Tuticorin, had created a media flimflam blaming VV Minerals for illegal beach mining without any proof. He was transferred on the discovery of his connections with the industry rivals of VV Minerals.

V Sundaram, an ex-IAS officer, had sent detailed letters to all concerned in State administration and to CVC, CBI and AEC. These letters again were only the thoughts shared by V Sundaram, with no trace of solid proof.

The president of Federation of Indian Placer Mineral Industries, Dr. D. Dhaya Devadas, had also filed a case alleging that VV Mineral Vaikundarajan had confessed in a panel meeting that he had bribed officials to get environmental clearance. It was ironical that he couldn’t get enough witnesses and proof from the panel meeting to justify his statements.

VV Mineral Vaikundarajan Thwarts Illegal Mining Allegations Against His Company

Following the allegations of illegal beach mining in South against some companies; the State Government set up an investigating team to probe into the matter.

With the team yet to reach its conclusion, the coastal population has shown little or no faith in the team’s efforts. The population consisting of Fishermen United Front have expressed their reservations against the functioning of investigation team. The reason for this is yet to be revealed.

Founder of VV Mineral is accused of using his political influence over the matters concerning illegal mining activities. None of these allegations have been supported by strong evidence. VV Minerals Vaikundarajan maintains that the company has operated within legal boundaries for over 20 years and will continue to do so.

Brand’s reputation was further tainted when two former IAS officers stated that VV Minerals have engaged in illegal beach sand mining in the southern districts. VV Mineral Mining was quick to play down these allegations. He further expressed his support for the investigating team and assured that the results will be in favour of the company.

VV Minerals India was founded in late 1980s and has been running under the tutelage of Vaikundarajan. The founder publicly thwarted all allegations as a defamation plot by rival mining industries.

While there is no conclusive evidence to support any allegation against the company; several fishermen in the region have threatened to leave their houses. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan stated that the allegations have no credibility and the threats are simply uncalled for.

“We have complete faith in judiciary and believe the investigation team will do its job. We lend our complete support to the team,” he added.

Indian Government Should Optimise Mining Industry – VV Mineral

Viapar is a coastal village in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district where mineral mining on beaches is practised with government permission. On August 6, District Collector Ashish Kumar had raided the premises of VV Minerals, but it turned out that he had connections with its rivals. As soon as the rumours were confirmed, Mr Kumar was taken off the case and transferred.

VV Minerals claimed that the "charges made by the former District Collector are baseless, motivated and vague."

VV Mineral Vaikundarajan Under Scanner Not Connected In Illegal Mining

The allegations made on his company, V. V. Minerals, India's top exporter of industrial minerals garnet and ilmenite, have brought VV Mineral Vaikundarajan under high scanner.

VV Minerals has been issued a case of illegal mining, requiring the director of the company, VV Mineral Vaikundarajan, to be under the check of judiciaries all the time. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan, has been open to all the investigations even after being a discreet person himself.

Baseless Claims Of Scam On VV Minerals

The people of coastal regions in Tamil Nadu have allegedly complained against the sand mining, saying that the natural environment of their village is depreciating. These complaints caught the attention of authorities and VV Minerals came under spotlight.

VV Minerals is one of the largest players in sand mining and the largest manufacturer and exporter of garnet. The owner of VV Minerals, S Vaikundarajan, says that false claims have been made and all of this is manoeuvre by the business rivals. The company has been operating peacefully since decades and wishes to do so in the future too. The operations of the company in the rural locality have also created good job opportunities for the villagers.

V Sundaram, first district collector of undivided Tirunelveli, and Ashish Kumar, former district collector, are making baseless claims of a scam worth crores of rupees against VV Minerals. All their earlier attempts at proving VV Minerals’ involvement in illegal sand mining went futile. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan said, “All these scams are baseless and cannot be proved. It is sad that the villagers too are against my firm after all we have done for them.”

V.V. Minerals Hopes For Best From New Rules For Atomic Minerals

The Centre is ready to come out with new rules overseeing leases of atomic minerals. These rules will define the maximum radioactive content in the minerals that private companies will be allowed to mine, the concession period and the lease area.

The Beach Mineral Producers Association representation to the government against the recent changes, has disallowed lease of further areas to the private sector.

The states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are considered to be rich in heavy mineral reserves. There are 71 beach mineral mining leases in Tamil Nadu covering a total area of around 700 hectares. The industry association says there are pending applications of beach minerals involving approximately 5,000 hectares of land.  Officials, maintain certain lease area that violates the Coastal Regulation Zone rules could be approved for mining.

Tamil Nadu-based V. V. Minerals is India's largest garnet miner and exporter. Garnet has considerable amount of a radioactive mineral – monazite. The changes in regulations for such minerals are going to impact companies like V. V. Minerals majorly.

V. V. Minerals is also a major producer and exporter of Ilmenite, which has recently been listed as an atomic mineral. This puts the company in a dire state. Vaikundarajan Subramaniam, the Managing Director of V. V. Minerals, is hoping for an outcome that is positive for all private players in the Indian mining scenario.

For More Story Read Article On: Business Standard

VV Mineral Mining Thwarts Allegations By IREL Officials As A Setup

Despite all these confirmations, former principal scientist at Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Kochi raised his concerns by stating, “Indian Rare Earth Ltd (IREL), Manavalakurichi, uses the sand from the same area and produces thorium, so what happens to the monazite in the VV mines? Does the company follow the procedure recommended by the AERB?” Further allegations were added that the mining was operated without proper regulatory clearance.

VV Mineral was quick to address these allegations head on. “We have established a mineral separation plant and approached the AERB for a license, which is awaited.”

He further assured that the company has followed all norms and worked within the legal boundaries for over twenty years. All the allegations by IREL officials was thwarted as a setup to maim the company’s reputation. “No authority is ready to take action based on our complaint. Hence we approached the High Court,” said VV Minerals.

The sand mining activities have been temporarily suspended for now. Following this, VV Minerals has filed two writ petitions that are pending with the Madras High Court.

VV Minerals Chairman Vaikundarajan Under Scrutiny

VV Mineral S Vaikundarajan has come under high scrutiny regarding the allegations made on his company, VV Minerals India, India's top exporter of industrial minerals garnet and ilmenite. A case of illegal mining has been issued on V. V. Minerals and the proceedings require the director of the company to be under probe all the time. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan, even after being a low-profile person himself, has been open to all the investigations.

Ashish Kumar, the collector of Tuticorin, had raised the issue of illegal mining which brought VV Minerals in the enquiry. Apparently, the collector had links with the competitors and he was transferred immediately.

Rumours have been heard that VV Mineral Vaikundarajan’s “closeness to power” is helping him get through the situation. Whereas, VV Mineral Vaikundarajan’s supporters claimed that these allegations have been a ruse by the competitors of V. V. Minerals. His rival businessman D Dhaya Devadas has gone to the extent of filing a case against him because Vaikundarajan, as Mr. Dhaya claims, openly admitted of bribing the officials.

VV Minerals has a huge annual output of 150,000 tonnes of garnet abrasives, 225,000 tonnes of ilmenite, 12,000 tonnes of zircon and 5,000 tonnes of rutile, which has been compromised due to the suspension orders on the operations since March 2010.

Despite being under pressure, Vaikundarajan has assured that the company has worked within legal boundaries for over two decades and the investigation result will be in his favor.

The Investigating Team Has Our Complete Support In Illegal Beach Mining VV Minerals

The state government has set up a special investigating team to probe into the matters concerning illegal beach mining allegations. It has been observed that the coastal population has shown little or no faith in the investigating team’s work. Following this, the members of Fishermen United Front have appealed for a CBI inquiry instead. The low faith shown by the Fishermen United Front in judiciary is yet unclear.

Founder of VV Minerals India has been accused of having political connections with CM Jayalalitha. It has also been rumored that VV Mineral Vaikundarajan has used his political connections to carry illegal mining activities. This, however, is not supported by any evidence as the company has assured they have carried all legal proceedings for beach mining activities.

Two former IAS officers have gone on the record to state that VV Minerals have been engaging in illegal beach sand mining in the southern districts. However, VV Mineral has played down such allegations and insisted that the investigating team’s report will be in favor of the company.

No conclusive evidence has been found to prove that the company is guilty of illegal activities. VV Mineral Vaikundarajan has stood firm by his company and assures that the operations are within legal boundaries. Meanwhile, several fishermen in the region have threatened to leave their houses.

VV Minerals India was founded in late 1980s and has been run under the tutelage of S Vaikundarajan. The founder publicly thwarted all allegations as a defamation plot by rival mining industries.

He further stated that the allegations have no credibility and the threats are uncalled for. “We have a complete faith in the judiciary and believe the investigation will do its job. We lend our complete support to the investigating team,” VV Minerals added.

Export Duty Harming Mining Industry, Says VV Mineral

The 10% export duty on heavy minerals seems to be having a grave impact on the mining sector. The industry officials have raised the concern and requested the Centre to withdraw the export duty.

“The government of India in the budget has imposed a 10 per cent export duty on sale of ilmenite and five per cent duty on upgraded ilmenite. This has already impacted us. We are already feeling the pinch of it in places like Karnataka and Gujarat,” said Mining Engineers Association of India National President Arjeth Bagchhi.

The mining industry is contributing about 2.5% of country’s GDP by employing over 50 lakh people. VV Mineral states that the Indian ilmenite was accepted only in China. “However, due to the export duty, China may look to South Africa for ilmenite,” VV Minerals.

Indian ilmenite is low grade which requires a huge capital to separate them for purity. What was $200 per tonne has now come to $100 per tonne of ilmenite. “At this rate, the mining industry will soon face a standstill and lot of people will find themselves jobless,” says VV Minerals India.

In the wake of export duty, South Africa may export its ilmenite to China due to its quality and price. This hampers the Indian company’s chances of competing globally.

Moreover, the government has also decided to do away with extension of leasing ilmenite which will definitely be the collapse of the mining industry in the near future. 

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