With reference to India, consider the following statements : 1. Mon

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 coastal sands in India.
4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2 and 3 only” option2=”1, 2 and 4 only” option3=”3 and 4 only” option4=”1, 2, 3 and 4″ correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2022

Download PDF Attempt Online

Statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct.

Monazite is a phosphate mineral containing rare earth elements (REEs) and thorium. It is found in placer deposits, particularly in coastal sands. In India, due to its thorium content, which is a prescribed substance under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, the mining, processing, and export of monazite are strictly controlled and primarily handled by government entities like IREL (India) Limited.

Statement 3 is incorrect because monazite sands, while found along coasts, are not uniformly distributed across the *entire* coastal sands of India. They are concentrated in specific areas, notably the beaches of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.

More similar MCQ questions for Exam preparation:-