Laugfs & Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology to Process Mineral Sands for Value Addition

02nd March 2012, www.dailynews.lk,

Laugfs Holdings Limited entered into a strategic agreement with Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) to process natural mineral sands for value addition.

The landmark agreement was signed yesterday creating a PPP venture to set up country’s first ever plant to produce titanium dioxide from mineral sand.

The agreement will be an initiative to bring in more foreign exchange in to the country where at present mineral sand is exported in raw form in bulk. The country imports processed sand paying 10 to 15 percent more in value thus making the industry a negative contributor to the economy. Our efforts will reverse this trend, Laugfs Holdings Chairman W.K.H. Wegapitiya said.

“Sri Lankan entrepreneurs and companies should be encouraged to venture into similar businesses leading to value addition. Although, we believe that FDI is key for economic development, it has not made significant impact on the economy. Therefore entrepreneurs with new thinking to take maximum advantage of our natural resources to engage in scientific research are the need of the hour,” he said. The country is rich with key ingredients of natural resources as factors of production, location specific advantages and entrepreneurship which according to Michael Porter are the pre-requisites of economic development.

We are rich with all three factors and also possess knowledge but not have reached the developed nation status. This is a concern and need corrective action. “We are a truly Sri Lankan company and this venture is going beyond commercial consideration to give back to society.


We are creating synergy with the agreement which could lead to new knowledge and confident that the country will benefit in the long run,” Wegapitiya said.

A fully fledged manufacturing plant will be set up shortly to produce different value added chemical from mineral sand.

Sri Lanka is estimated to have 18 million metric tons of ilmenite reserves, the world’s ninth largest deposit.

The country’s North and the East beach sands contained about 70 to 72 percent ilmenite and it is estimated to have 6 to 8 million metric tons of ilmenite according to the surveys of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau of Sri Lanka.

Pulmoddai ilmenite is known to contain about 50 to 60 percent of titanium dioxide in its composition.

The SLINTEC has developed a proprietary process to produce TiO2 and nano TiO2 starting with ilmenite obtained from Pulmoddai. Signing of this agreement will initiate the commissioning of a pilot plant and then a large scale commercial plant where the project will be completed in three phases.

Image: Laugfs Holdings Chairman W.K.H. Wegapitiya, Senior Minister Tissa Vitarana and SLINTEC
and other officials at the tie up. Picture by Nissanka Wijeratne

Related Info :

• Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology to be a Research and Innovation platform for Sustainable Nanotechnology in Asia

• Sri Lanka to Manufacture Nano Titanium Dioxide from Pulmoddai Mineral Sands

Sri Lanka to Manufacture Nano Titanium Dioxide from Pulmoddai Mineral Sands

04th May 2010, www.dailynews.lk, By Ramani Kangaraarachchi

Sri Lanka can look forward to manufacturing its own nano titanium dioxide from Pulmoddai mineral sands deposits.

It is important that everyone understands the growing importance of nanotechnology to the economy as well as take adequate precautions to run nano-integrated manufacturing facilities responsibly, Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology Director Prof Ajith de Alwis said.

Prof Alwis was the keynote speaker at the symposium to commemorate ‘World Day for Safety and Health at Work’ at Galadari Hotel on Monday.

He said nanotechnology enables Sri Lanka to move away from the current commodity mind-set offering an avenue in adding real value into operations.

He said various forms of nanotechnology applications to textiles, communications, sports, food and drink, health and to defence sectors were given. The wide spectrum also indicates the potential diversity of workplaces and the need to understand issues in a wider context as all possibilities are not known, Prof Alwis said.

However, there is a huge knowledge gap between advances in the application of nanotechnology and its impact on health.

Nanotechnology is identified as a key technology and the need for awareness and the need to integrate these concepts in manufacturing is very vital.

It is expected that by 2020 around 20 percent of all goods manufactured around the world will be based to some extent on the use of nanotechnology he said.

He said it is an emerging technology and the risks associated with the manufacturing and uses of nanomaterials are largely unknown.

He said the natural processes release nano materials in large quantities to the environment. Current industry practices too release emissions which contain nano materials. Combustion operations such as welding fumes are an example for these.

“But it is quite clear that basic requirements are not met in most of the industrial facilities.

Top management commitment is necessary as well as supporting a preventative approach in managing health and safety issues.

As Sri Lanka has launched the Sri Lanka nanotechnology initiative with the start of Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) various measures undertaken in ensuring the safety of scientists even at the nano level with special respirator protectors were elaborated.

The need to stick to basics and then to add to these as applicable was a way recommended, he said.

China - Top Buyer of Sri Lanka Mineral Sands Ilmenite, Rutile and zircon

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.