Gold panning in Kerala: alluvial gold in Maruda, Kalakkan puzha

Extensive panning for gold in the Kalakkan puzha of Maruda, in Kerala, which drains the Maruthamalai Hills. Deccan Gold has got prospecting licenses in the area. Their website has this to say,

"Two PL applications, Puttumala and Maruda, covering a total area of 90 sq km have been recommended by the DMG to the State Govt. The State Govt. has asked us to reduce the area of the Puttumala PL from 81 sq km to 25 sq km. We have provided justification to the Govt. for recommending the entire area of 81 sq km. The Maruda PL has a greater merit as this prospect has been explored by the State Department and MECL. The State Dept. had carried out 5,200 m of drilling in 50 holes during 1981-85 and assessed a gold resource of 0.55 million tonnes grading 4.14 g/t equivalent to 2.296 tonnes of gold upto a shallow depth of 75 m. Subsequently, MECL did additional drilling and estimated a total resource of 1.174 million tonnes of an average grade of 2.61 g/t equivalent to 3 tonnes of gold. Out of this resource, MECL recognized 0.32 million tonnes at 2.3 g/t grade as available for open pit mining (0.73 tonnes of gold metal). The resource is distributed in 4 different but closely spaced lodes. The mineralized zone is known to continue upto a depth of 200 m. "

Mineral Value Addition in Kerala 2

TiO2 production at Travancore Titanium Ltd

Ilmenite + Sulphuric Acid-> Titanyl Sulphate -> Hydrated Titanium Dioxide-> Titanium Dioxide

Travancore Titanium Products Limited is currently producing TiO2, antase grade, through the sulphate route. Ilmenite, a mixed oxide of titanium, ferrous iron and ferric iron is the main raw material for the production of titanium dioxide pigment.Ilmenite is reacted with sulfuric acid in reinforced cement concrete tanks called Digesters, lined with lead and acid resistant bricks. Exothermic reaction is initiated by the heat of dilution of the acid with water and a porous cake is formed. The mass in the solid form is dissolved in dilute sulphuric acid to get titanium in solution as titanium oxy sulphate (TiOSO4) along with other metallic ingradients in ilmenite as their sulphate. The liqour is reduced using scrap iron, when the ferric iron gets completly reduced to the ferrous state.

The resulting black liquor is clarified, concentrated and boiled by injecting steam to precipitate the titanium content as hydrated titania. The hydrated titania is filterd over drum type rotary vacuum filters. Any ferric iron still present is reduced to ferrous iron by leaching the pulp with dilute sulphuric acid. It is washed free of iron and other impurities and calcined in a rotary kiln is cooled in rotating coolers and de-agglomerated in pendulum mills to very fine particles. The fine white powder is packed in 25kg HDPE bags.

Titanium Dioxide is an ingredient of:- All types of white and pastel shades of paints White walled tyres and car tyres Glazed paper Plastics Printed fabrics Soaps and face powders Flooring materials like linoleum, white mosaics etc. Pharmaceutical and cosmetic products Electronic components Materials for interior decoration Foot-wear and leather goods Dyes and printig inks Chart showing the applications of Titanium dioxide

Anatase Rayon Grade is used in:- Textile Industry for de-lustering synthetic fibres

Anatase Special Grade used in:- Fluxes for welding rods

Anatase Granular Grade used in:- Vitreous enamelware for opacity and brightness

Travancore Titanium has a poor record vis-a-vis pollution! It has been polluting its environs with impunity ever since it was established. Now the bells are tolling and TTP may very well be on its last knees

Read this doc on Scribd: travancore titanium

Mineral Value Addition in Kerala 1

K M M L PRODUCTS

KMML always maintains high standards of perfection. Achieving technical excellence in every phase of production. Catering to strict guidelines, KMML offers a wide range of products for quality conscious customers. Our products go into the manufacture of a variety of products used in every day life. Dress materials, facial creams, tablets, newsprints, wood paints, emulsions, enamels, plastics, tooth paste, rubber products, cosmetics, and printing ink – All contain titanium dioxide. Belive it, you need our products to brighten your life.

PRODUCTS & ITS APPLICATIONS Titanium Dioxide Pigment (Rutile) : Paints, Printing inks, Plastic, Paper, Rubber Textiles, Ceramics Titanium Tetra Chloride : Rutile grade Titanium Dioxide Pigment, Titanium Sponge / Metal, Titanium salts, Butyl Titanate, Titanium Oxychlorides. Ilmenite : Synthetic Rutile, Welding Electrodes, Titanium Tetra Chloride, Titanium Dioxide Pigment, Ferro Titanium Alloys, Titanium Salt. Rutile : Welding Electrodes, Titanium Dioxide Pigment Titanium Components, Titanium Tetrachloride, Titanium Metal/Sponge. Leucoxene : Welding Electrodes, Titanium Tetrachloride Titanium Dioxide Pigment, Titanium Components. Zircon : Ceramics, Zirconium, Chemical, Foundaries, Zirconium Metals, Refractories, Nuclear Technology. Sillimanite : High temperature refractory, Ceramic industry Monazite : Rare Earth Industry, Nuclear Technology. Iron Oxide Bricks : As building material.

PRODUCT DATA SHEET

Titanium tetrachloride KEMOX RC 800 KEMOX RC 800PG KEMOX RC 808 KEMOX RC 813 KEMOX RC 822

MINERALS & CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

GRADE CLASSIFICATION