VV Mineral Mining - India

Heavy mineral mining (HMM) industry comprises of minerals such as Ilmenite, Zircon, Rutile, Garnet, Sillimanite and Leucoxene that are obtained from beach mineral sands. These deposits are found across the 7,500 kilometer wide Indian coastline that is shared by coastal states of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kerala. These minerals are primarily used in aircraft and paper industries.

India accounts for 35% of the world deposits of heavy minerals. However, its contribution to the global production is a meagre 4%. Moreover heavy mineral mining accounts for only 2% of the mining carried out in India. Beach mineral mining is an important area of HMM industry in India.

Tamil Nadu government has imposed a ban on beach mineral mining since August 2013, on five coastal districts, on concerns of illegal mining. This legislation has further subdued the already repressed HMM in India. The reason being, Tamil Nadu contributes 85% of India’s exports of 6.5 lakhs of garnet and occupies a significant space in beach mineral mining. Nearly 75% of the beach mineral mining in the state is carried out by VV Mineral, the country's largest mining, manufacturer and exporter of garnet and ilmenite. Moreover, the ban has rendered nearly 50,000 people jobless and incurred a loss of Rs 100 billion a year to the industry.

VV Minerals was a founded by S Vaikundarajan in the late 1980s. It has been operating for almost two decades under his leadership. Recently, the company stated that there is a lack of technology to separate thorium from monazite. Monazite is automatically generated during the mineral separation process.

In the wake of illegal sand mining allegations against VV Minerals India, the state government had suspended all mining activities in the south. A special investigation team has been set up to reach a justifiable conclusion. Ever since this matter came to light, Vaikundarakan, founder of VV Minerals, has pleaded innocence.

Headlines have been buzzing over the ban of sand mining in South India. The allegations involving VV Minerals have frequently found itself at the center of news.

S Vaikundarajan, who established VV Minerals India in 1989, runs the company out of Tisayanvilai, a town 65 km from Tirunelveli city in south Tamil Nadu. The company has won several national awards for its contribution to the export business.

Two years ago, the 20-year-old mining company, VV Mineral, came into the limelight for being involved in illegal mining business in Tamil Nadu. As per reports, VV Mineral is the country's largest mining, manufacturer and exporter of garnet and ilmenite. The Tamil Nadu government in August 2013 imposed a ban on beach mineral mining along...

Haunted by heavy beach erosion due to illegal beach mining across the region, Viapar is a coastal village in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district. The erosion issues have transpired to neighboring villages as well. VV Minerals India has been held responsible for this catastrophe through several allegations that have surfaced over the time.

VV Minerals India is a beach sand mining company that has been operating for almost two decades. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) confirmed the company's claim of lack in technology to separate thorium from monazite. The company has also admitted to extracting and exporting garnet and ilmenite to over 20 countries.

The Mines and Minerals Act of 1957 identifies the beaches of Orissa Sand Complex, Manavalakurichi in Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu, as the main monazite bearing area in the country. It is suspected that 2.1 million tons of monazite has disappeared from the shores of India since 2014.

S Vaikundarajan founded VV Minerals, a sand beach mining company, in 1989. For over two decades now, the company has been running under his tutelage and has grown into a profitable entity. VV Minerals has bagged several national awards for its contribution to the export business.

Narendra Singh Tomar, Steel and Mines Minister, announced the auction of mines mines bearing minerals like iron ore and bauxite will start in November. 82 out of 166 blocks identified by the mineral bearing states will go under the hammer. The Centre will also provide assistance to the states in the auction process.

The State Government suspended all mining activities in the South when illegal sand mining allegations against VV Minerals India surfaced. While no allegation has been proved, the government has set up an investigation team to reach a conclusion. Vaikundarakan, founder of VV Minerals, has denied all allegations and stated, "It is a ploy by business...

According to recent reports, Judge Michael Cunha has passed a judgment stating that VV Minerals Chairman, S. Vaikundarajan, alleged to be involved in a large scale mining business that he is associated with Jayalalitha. Ashish Kumar, the then collector of Thoothukudi conducted a raid on VV Minerals on August 6, 2013 and stated that VV...

In Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin district, a coastal village named Viapar is troubled by heavy beach erosion. The corrosion issues are said to have occurred from illegal beach mining across the region.

In what have been unsupported allegations, VV mineral has been held responsible for this catastrophe. It has also been alleged that the 20 year old company has encroached 30 hectares of government land and other mining lease violations.

The founder of the company, VV Mineral Vaikundarajan, has been unfairly accused of using political connections to influence the transfer of district collector, Ashish Kumar, during his inquiry stint.

VV Minerals India quoted to NDTV, “These allegations made by the former district collector are baseless, motivated and vague.”

V Sundaram, first District Collector, wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary of the state in January 2013 accusing VV Minerals of illegal mining worth over Rs. 96,000 crores. The letter also accused state government departments of favoring VV Minerals. “The mining lease was given to them within 72 days, while the other companies are still waiting for permission,” the letter stated.

In the wake of this turmoil, VV Mineral Vaikundarajan has stood firm by his company calling the allegations as a conspiracy by his business rivals.

Ravindram Duraiswami, an advocate of the company quoted to NDTV, "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.”

Founded by Vaikundarajan in the late 1980s, VV Minerals India is a beach sand mining company that has been operating for almost two decades. The company had released a statement that it lacked the technology to separate thorium from monazite, which was later confirmed by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

VV Minerals has been under scrutiny for illegal beach mining. VV mineral Vaikundarajan has also been accused of having powerful political influence and several allegations have surfaced without supporting evidence.

S Vaikundarajan founded VV Minerals India in late 1980s. Being a simple man of simple tastes, there is little information on him and his family.

However, recently he has been in the news for allegations of illegal beach sand mining. Ashwin Kumar, IAS officer from Tuticorin and V Sundaram, an ex-IAS officer are the two civil servants who have raised allegations against him and his company. After stating his ire in media, the former received transfer orders which were blamed as an act by VV Mineral Vaikundarajan himself.

VV Minerals India has dismissed all allegations and urged that the investigating team will soon come up with a report in his favor.

VV Minerals India has been under a lot of scrutiny following an investigation into the illegal beach sand mining. However, The Indian Bureau of Mines released a statement affirming that it found no evidence to suggest an illegal activity of mining atomic minerals across Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin districts in Tamil Nadu.

VV Titanium Pigments will invest Rs 100 Crore for its expansion strategy into a Coated Rutile Plant. As a private entity, this will be the largest investment made for meeting the demand of Indian Tio2 consumers. The Coated Rutile Plant is expected to be functional by the 1st quarter of 2016.

World Nuclear Association estimates 300,000 tonnes of thorium deposit in India alone. However, recently thorium scam has been in the news for having been smuggled causing energy security in the country. This accusation has been particularly directed towards Vaikundarajan, founder of VV Minerals India. It is a known fact that the company operates extensively in.

In positive news in favor of mining giants VV Mineral Mining, the Central government has given a formal go ahead to enhance mineral export from India.

The news was revealed by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries, Sudarsana Natchiappan, during the top exporter award presentation to beach mineral company. The function was held in Kolkata on 26th December.

Viapar is a coastal village in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district. The locals here are troubled by heavy beach erosion caused due to illegal beach mining across the region. VV Minerals has been held responsible for this catastrophe as several unsupported allegations have surfaced. The accusations also included encroaching of 30 hectares of government land and...

VV Minerals was founded by S Vaikundarajan in late 1980s. Under his tutelage, the company has grown into one of the leading mining companies in India. The company has won several national awards for its contribution to the industry. However, VV Minerals has lately been in the spotlight for carrying illegal sand mining activities.

In late 1980s, S Vaikundarajan established a beach sand mining company called VV Minerals. Over the two decades, the company has reached the peak of its success and stands as the leading mining companies in India. Under his leadership, the company has won several national awards for its contribution towards the export industry.

Recently, however, VV Minerals India has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Several allegations of illegal beach sand mining have surfaced against the company causing quite a stir in the industry.

An investigation team was set up by the then Chief Minister Jayalalitha to probe into the accusations of illegal sand mining activities across five districts of the state. A special team headed by senior IAS officer Gagandeep Singh Bedi was set up to investigate the matter.

IAS Officer Ashish Kumar, who was a part of the team, received marching order during his investigation stint. The rumors have been making the round connecting it to VV Mineral Vaikundarajan’s political connections. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that the sand mining baron has anything to do with it.

S Vaikundarajan established VV Minerals India, a beach sand mining company, in late 1980s. For the last two decades, the company has been operating under the leadership of Vaikundarajan and gone on to become the top company in the sector.

VV Mineral Mining extracts garnet and ilmenite to over 20 countries. The company’s claim of lack in technology in separating thorium from monazite was recently confirmed by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

The company released a statement that it doesn’t process monazite that is automatically generate during the mineral separation process. However, former Former principal scientist at Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Kochi raised his concerns 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?” Rajendra Ratnoo, District Collector of Kanyakumari, added to the allegations that VV Minerals has been mining without proper regulatory clearance.

VV Mineral Vaikundarajan addressed the question head on by assuring that the company has always carried out all operations within legal boundaries. “We have established a mineral separation plant and approached the AERB for a license, which is awaited,” he said while rubbishing the grouses set up by IREL officials. He further stated that IREL has been illegally mining in VV Mineral’s land and indulged in questionable practices. “No authority is ready to take action based on our complaint. Hence we approached the High Court,” said VV Mineral Vaikundarajan.

Following the allegations, the sand mining activities have been temporarily suspended. VV Minerals has filed two writ petitions on the matter that are pending with the Madras High Court. Meanwhile, VV Mineral Mining assures that the investigating committee’s report will come out in favor of the company.

The state government suspended all mining activities in the south when illegal sand mining allegations surfaced against VV Minerals India. Following this, a special investigation team was set up to probe into the matter.

VV Minerals India is a leading beach sand mining company established by Vaikundarajan in late 1980s. The company has won several national awards for its contribution to the export business. The founder was undeterred by these allegations and said, ““It is a ploy by business rivals to defame the company.”

A former IAS Officer, V Sundaram wrote a letter claiming that due to the sand mafia, the government had lost nearly 90000 crores to illegal mining. He further alleged to have received threatening phone calls for his comments in the media.

In his letter to the state’s chief secretary, Niranjan Mardi, Sundaram stated, “I derive my constitutional right to serve as a fearless whistleblower under article 51A of the Indian Constitution.” He further assured to continue fighting public corruptions and demanded immediate police protection from the government.

While there is no evidence to prove any illegal activity on the part of VV Mineral India, S Ravindran Duraisamy released a statement, “Mr Sundaram's complaint against us is a publicity stunt. He has joined hands with our business rival Mr Daya Devadosan. We came out clean earlier after an inspection in May and this time too we will come out clean.”