AP committed to building titanium and rare earth value chains from beach sand minerals: Kollu Ravindra

Vijayawada: Mines and geology minister Kollu Ravindra asserted that Andhra Pradesh is committed to transforming its Beach Sand Mineral (BSM) wealth into a globally competitive titanium and rare earth industrial ecosystem.Addressing the workshop on "Beach Sand Minerals to Titanium, Rare Earth Elements and RE Permanent Magnets – Building Domestic Value Chains in Andhra Pradesh", held in Vijayawada on Wednesday, Kollu Ravindra emphasised the need for AP to move beyond mineral extraction and build end-to-end value chains within the state.He emphasised that titanium and rare earth elements are strategic materials essential for the aerospace, defence, electric mobility and renewable energy sectors. The state govt's vision, he said, is to create integrated mineral-to-manufacturing clusters that generate large-scale employment and attract high-value investments.Describing AP's coastline as a repository of strategic minerals for the entire nation, the mines and geology minister stated that 16 types of mineral deposits spread over 16,600 hectares were identified in the state and thanked the union govt for sanctioning the development of the "Rare Earth Element Corridor" to AP.Former DRDO chairman Dr G Satish Reddy highlighted the rising global demand for titanium and rare earth magnets, particularly their growing importance in defence, space, missile technology and advanced engineering sectors."If Beach Sand Minerals available in AP are technologically upgraded and value-added, the state can compete effectively in international markets. Also, by enhancing indigenous production capacity, India can reduce dependency on imports," Satish Reddy observed, and stressed that domestic capability in mineral processing and advanced material manufacturing is crucial for national security and technological sovereignty.Principal Secretary (Mines) Mukesh Kumar Meena outlined the policy design framework adopted by the state govt to build competitive BSM and REE value chains. He explained that the strategy focuses on long-term raw material linkages, structured mineral allocation, cluster-led industrial development and investment-linked incentives to encourage value addition within AP.On the occasion, the govt reiterated its target of attracting over Rs 50,000 crore in investments and generating more than 40,000 jobs over the next decade, positioning AP as India's integrated hub for strategic mineral-based industries. Secretary (Industries & Commerce) N Yuvaraj, APMDC VC&MD Pravin Kumar and others were present.