03rd November 2009, /www.lankabusinessonline.com
China has become the top buyer of mineral sands mined in Sri Lanka in 2008, though volumes had fallen steeply from a year before, government data showed.
Sri Lanka has exported 15,876 tonnes of ilmenite to China in 2008, down from 20,836 tonnes a year before. India was the second largest buyers with 5,783 tonnes and Japan was third at 500 tonnes. In 2007, Austria had bought 75,700 tonnes of Ilmenite.
China had bought a record 8,612 tonnes of rutile in 2009, up from 1,080 a year before. India was the second largest buyer at 2,369 tonnes.
China had bought 2,546 tonnes of zircon in 2008, down from 9,396 tonnes in 2007. India was the second largest buyer at 1,152 tonnes.
Ilemenite and rutile is used to produce Titanium Dioxide Pigement, used in paint, plastics, paper, rubber and ceramics application and Titanium metal used in the aerospace industry, Sri Lanka's Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GMSB) said in a report.
The minerals are mined by Lanka Mineral Sands Limited, a state-run mining firm in Pulmoddai in the north east coast of Sri Lanka. The sands are made up of 70 to 75 percent ilmenite, 8 to 10 percent zircon and 10 percent rutile.
The reserves are partly replenished every year during the north east monsoon season.
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