Which mineral resource, found in rich placer deposits along the coastal beach sands of Chavara in Kollam district, Kerala, is of major significance to India's atomic and strategic energy sector?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The coastal beach sands of Chavara in Kerala contain rich heavy mineral placer deposits that include monazite, ilmenite, and rutile. Monazite is the primary source of thorium, which is of paramount importance to India's strategic three-stage nuclear power program. Common mineral mixtures like bauxite or mica serve entirely different industrial sectors such as aluminum extraction and electronics. India holds vast global reserves of these strategic beach sand minerals along its southern and eastern coastal tracts.