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 entire Indian coastal sands in India. 4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite. Which of the statements given above are correct ?
- A.1, 2 and 3 only
- B.1, 2 and 4 only
- C.3 and 4 only
- D.1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, 1, 2 and 4 only. Monazite is a phosphate mineral rich in rare earths and thorium, it occurs only in certain stretches of India's beach sands, and only government bodies may handle it.
Monazite contains rare earth elements such as cerium, lanthanum and neodymium, and also thorium, which India plans to use in the third stage of its nuclear power programme. Because of the thorium, monazite is notified as a "prescribed substance" under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. Its mining, processing and export are reserved for government agencies, chiefly IREL (India) Limited under the Department of Atomic Energy. The richest deposits lie in the heavy mineral sands of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, such as at Chavara and Manavalakurichi, not along the whole coast.
A is wrong: statement 3 is false and statement 4 is left out.
C is wrong: statement 3 is false, and true statements 1 and 2 are left out.
D is wrong: monazite does not occur in the entire coastal sands of India.
Exam tip: monazite = rare earths + thorium; Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha beach sands; handled only by IREL and other government bodies.
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