Andhra Pradesh Targets ₹50,000 Crore Investments in Strategic Minerals Sector

Andhra Pradesh is preparing an ambitious plan to position itself as a major strategic materials hub in India, with the state government focusing on harnessing its rich deposits of rare beach sand minerals. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed officials to accelerate efforts to build a strong industrial ecosystem around these resources, saying the state should aim to emerge as an Integrated Strategic Materials Hub over the coming decade.

During a review meeting with the Mines and Geology Department at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister examined the roadmap for launching the Andhra Pradesh Titanium and Strategic Materials Mission . The initiative is expected to play a key role in unlocking the economic potential of the state’s mineral wealth and strengthening industrial development. Naidu emphasized that Andhra Pradesh should not merely extract minerals but should develop the capacity to process and add value to them within the state , creating a complete industrial chain.

The government has set a target of attracting around ₹50,000 crore in investments through this mission over the next ten years. Officials estimate that the initiative could generate employment for nearly 40,000 youth , particularly in advanced manufacturing and mineral processing sectors. The Chief Minister asked departments to carefully study the policies adopted by the Union government and other states dealing with rare minerals, especially the strategies that focus on value addition and downstream industries . He also called for the preparation of short-term, medium-term and long-term plans to meet future demand for these strategic resources.

Andhra Pradesh’s long coastline is known for its rich deposits of heavy mineral sands , which are considered among the most valuable in the country. Officials informed the Chief Minister that minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, zircon, monazite, garnet and sillimanite are available in significant quantities along the state’s coastal belt. These minerals are widely used not only in industries such as paints, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals , but also in critical sectors including defence manufacturing, aerospace, electronics, nuclear energy and advanced engineering .

To fully utilize these resources and build a processing ecosystem, the government is planning to establish three large mineral processing clusters in the state. A Titanium Park in Srikakulam is proposed with an annual production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes , while a Rare Earth Corridor in Anakapalli is expected to process about 25,000 tonnes annually . In addition, an Integrated Titanium and Rare Earth Corridor is being planned at Machilipatnam , which could serve as a major industrial hub for strategic mineral processing.

The initiative is expected to strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s role in India’s emerging critical minerals strategy , which aims to reduce dependence on imports and support sectors such as clean energy, defence and high-technology manufacturing . The review meeting was attended by Mines and Geology Minister Kollu Ravindra , Chief Secretary Mukesh Kumar Meena , and other senior officials.