Export of sand and soil is accompanied by the threat of smuggling of mineral resources

//Daily World News Desk //

Ministry of Land has taken the initiative to export sand and soil. For this purpose, the Ministry of Land has prepared the draft of Balumhal and Soil Management Rules-2024. It has been placed on the Ministry’s website for the views of the concerned. News from related sources.

However, experts fear that if the sand and clay export is officially recognized, the valuable mineral resources worth billions of dollars will legally go into the hands of foreigners every year. It should be noted that several cases of smuggling of sand and soil abroad have already been caught.

If you want to know about this, Land Secretary Md. Khalilur Rahman said, Sand and Soil Management Act-2010 has provision for export of sand and soil. There is a need to make rules due to being in law. However, there will be provisions in the rules so that valuable mineral sand and soil are not smuggled in any way. In response to a question, he said, “I don’t know who took what from where.” Ministry of Lands has not given permission to anyone to export sand and soil. A committee will be made involving multiple ministries and departments. No one can take even a drop of sand without the permission of all parties.

Bangladesh Council of Science and Industrial Research (BCSIR) Institute of Mining Mineralogy and Metallurgy (IMMM) chief scientific officer and director (ongoing duty) Dr. Md. Abul Kashem told Yugantar that our country has valuable mineral resources in its sand and soil. Especially the presence of minerals in river bottom and beach sand is high. It is important to protect these resources by strict laws. Otherwise there is a danger of these valuable resources being smuggled. Concerned persons should be careful so that no one can smuggle through loopholes in laws and regulations.

According to the relevant sources of the ministry, the presence of valuable natural mineral resources in the sand and soil of Bangladesh is high in the sand of Bangladesh. It is used in the manufacture of various military equipment, weapons, communication equipment, GPS equipment, battery defense electronics and important equipment. Materials obtained from river sand and soil are used as raw materials in various vehicles including motor vehicle windshields, aircraft and trains.

Other minerals extracted from sand are used as raw materials for various industries including ceramics, electronics paint, plastic paint. It is also used as car polishing paper, aircraft spare parts, human knee joints, fake teeth and iron ore.

Monazite color obtained from sand is used in television picture tube cathodes and as a coating for camera lenses. Such minerals are widely used in various industries including nuclear technology. Among these minerals, the most valuable, important and widely demanded in the world market is titanium, which is obtained from the mineral ilmenite. This mineral is found in highest amounts in the sands of the beaches, coasts and inlets of the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh. According to experts, titanium is used as a major raw material in the aircraft industry. The use of titanium is essential in producing high-quality paints, especially for color longevity. The United States and China use the most mineral sand and soil elements in the world. China is the highest producer of these basic materials.

Incidentally, in October 2022, 17 containers of precious minerals titanium and ilmenite sand weighing 450 metric tons were seized by the Chittagong Customs Authority. The shipment was blocked as the sand was being exported illegally without the permission of the Ministry of Lands. There were about 450 metric tons of sand in a total of 17 containers with about 26 metric tons per container. The export value of the seized sand has been set at only 22,500 dollars. The sands were being exported to an Asian superpower.

According to Bangladesh Council of Science and Industrial Research (BCSIR), six kg of ilmenite is found in every 1000 kg of sand seized by the Chittagong Customs Authority. Two kilograms of 400 grams of titanium are obtained from this amount of ilmenite. The international market price of titanium per kg is 20,500 to 22,000 dollars.

According to the relevant sources of the Ministry of Land, there are 17 points of sand rich in minerals in the coastal area including Cox’s Bazar beach.

Among these are Shahpari Island, Badr Mokam, Teknaf, Sabrang, Inani, Kalatali, Sheelkhali, Qutubjom, Maheshkhali, Qutubdia, Fakirhat point. The sand of these points contains eight minerals including ilmenite, zircon, magnetite, garnet, rutile, leuconics, kyanite, monazite.

Cox’s Bazar beach and Brahmaputra river area have at least 2 million tons of mineral rich sand. Among them there are 1 lakh 58 thousand 117 tons of zircon, 74 thousand 274 tons of rutile, 222 thousand 761 tons of garmet, 80 thousand 599 tons of magnetite, 17 thousand 352 tons of monazite, 1 million tons of ilmenite and other minerals. This mineral sand is considered as precious. Zircon is used as a material for chemical radiation. Zircon is also used to prevent rust.

Bangladesh Science and Industrial Research Council (BCSIR) Chairman Professor Dr. Md. Aftab Ali Sheikh told Jugantar, our river originates from the Himalayas and flows hundreds of miles to the river. Valuable minerals are added to the water in the form of sediments. These resources are in our rivers and seas. Our river sand and soil have valuable resources. BCSIR scientists have already brought training from Germany. They learned the method of making high-quality glass from sand, which would take the country’s glass industry to unique heights.