Zircon is unknown to most people in the country. Recently the name of Zircon along with other several minerals has come to the priority list of election manifesto of one of the political parties. We know that natural gas is our national mineral resource but there are other costly minerals in the country that need to be explored. Those minerals are available in the coastal regions, nearby islands and in the sands of the rivers in northern region of Bangladesh. They are solid minerals known as Zircon, Rutile, Monazite, Garnet, Ilmenite, Magnetite etc. Depending on their Purity and Rarity, they are worth billions of dollars and it is a case of transformation of scientific discovery into billions of dollars’ industry.
Realizing the importance of the minerals, Australian Titenium Resources made an agreement in 2001 with the Govt.of Bangladesh to use 14,700 hectres of land in the coastal region for exploration of 15 different kinds of mineral resources. Later on, the Australian Premier Mineral was awarded two licenses for exploration of heavy mineral beach sands in Cox’s bazar and in nearby islands. The contracts are renewable and transferable to any other company. (It is a harmful deal for a conscious and educated nation).
Titanium, an element of Ilmenite, has almost 99% of applications in defense/army. It is an expensive material and is only used where its light weight, high strength and corrosion resistance justify its cost. Titenium is used in making fighter aircraft, jet engines, naval aircraft, Rockets, Missiles and many other costly weapons.
In 1961, the then Pakistan Geological Survey in cooperation of the US Geological Survey first detected the Radioactive Element Monazite (Thorium) from the coastal region of Cox’s bazar. Based on the discovery, the Atomic Energy Commission of then Pakistan started geological survey and identified 17 placer deposits of various sizes and quantities of the above mentioned minerals.
In 1975, the Australian govt. set up a pilot plant in Cox’s bazar, since then, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) is using the plant as part of their research and development (R & D) activities. They could not make the elements: (Zircon, Ilmenite, Rutile, Garnet) viable due of lack of their efficiency.
I came to know from my US colleagues about the existence of radio active and valuable minerals in Bangladesh in the middle of 80s while working with the US Geological Survey in the Middle East. As a Geophysicist, I should mention that Minerals exploration is a risky business but it brings money as well as prestige for a nation. Those minerals are available to only few countries that are considered lucky. According to theory of economic geologists, if a nation possesses at least one of the minerals and can utilize properly, that nation or country no more remains poor. We have several valuable compounds (minerals) and they are very easily available. We have immense opportunities to develop our country through exploration of the existing minerals.
It is good news for the nation that our political leaders have started realizing the importance of their national resources including mineral resources. We expect that their commitment in the election manifesto for exploration of the mineral resources like Zircon, Ilmenite, Rutile and Garnet will be 100% materialized even if they are in opposition party. They must push the party in power to make it a success. We will be waiting for the good days.
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