UPSC Prelims 2022 · Question 28 of 98
UPSC Prelims 2022 question on Monazite Rare Earths
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2022
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectScience and Technology
- TopicNuclear Technology
- DifficultyHard
- TypeStatement
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 Indian coastal sands in India.
4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Show answer
Answer: B. 1, 2 and 4 only
Verdict
Correct statements: 1, 2 and 4 → Option (b).
Statement by statement
Statement 1 – CORRECT: Monazite is a primarily reddish-brown phosphate mineral that contains rare-earth elements. Due to variability in composition, monazite is considered a group of minerals.
Statement 2 – CORRECT: In addition to the rare-earth elements, thorium (Th) can be extracted from monazite ore. Thorium is a slightly radioactive metal, identical to uranium.
Statement 3 – INCORRECT: Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has estimated the presence of 11.93 million tonnes of monazite resources in the beach sand mineral placer deposits along the coastal tracts of India — not the ENTIRE Indian coastal sands.
Statement 4 – CORRECT: Monazite is a mineral mainly containing rare earths and thorium — a prescribed substance to be handled by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Accordingly, Indian Rare Earths Ltd. (IREL), wholly owned by the Govt. of India, under the administrative control of DAE, utilises monazite mainly for production of rare earth compounds and thorium.
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