Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu during a meeting with Adani Ports and SEZ Limited MD Karan Adani and other representatives at the Secretariat in Amaravati on August 12, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday called for value addition to the beach sand minerals available in abundance in the State, especially the rare earth minerals, in a manner that would contribute to the development of both the State and the country.
He stressed the need to manufacture value-added products within the State to reduce the country’s dependence on other nations for rare earth minerals. He also called for adoption of advanced technologies required to achieve this goal.
A delegation led by Karan Adani, Managing Director of Adani Ports and SEZ Limited, met Mr. Naidu at the State Secretariat on Wednesday. The delegation briefed the Chief Minister on the titanium plant proposed by the Adani Group in Srikakulam district with an investment of ₹16,000 crore.
The representatives explained the proposed beach sand mining activities, the products that could be manufactured from the minerals, and their applications and market demand. They said the ilmenite mineral in beach sand could undergo value addition to produce titanium slag, titanium dioxide and titanium sponge.
The delegation also explained that titanium dioxide could be used in a range of sectors, including paints and coatings, cosmetics, plastics and polymers, and products providing protection against ultraviolet radiation.
Mr. Naidu said the State should focus on manufacturing value-added products rather than limiting beach sand mineral development to the extraction of raw minerals. The entire value chain should be developed in a manner that would maximise benefits to Andhra Pradesh and the country, he said.
Referring to rare earth minerals, the Chief Minister said India should move towards self-reliance and avoid dependence on other countries. Mining of rare earth minerals should contribute to nation-building while also strengthening the State’s economy, he said.
He directed the officials and the industry to focus on identifying the resources available in the State, the required technologies and suitable technology partners for the extraction, processing rare earth minerals and their value addition. The entire process should be designed to serve the interests of both the State and the nation, he said.
The Adani Group representatives briefed the Chief Minister on its proposed initiatives in Visakhapatnam, including skill development, an Adani University, an international school, a 1,000-bed hospital and a 150-seat medical college.
The delegation also presented details of the master plans for the proposed Adani data centre and IT park in Visakhapatnam.
Minister Kollu Ravindra and senior officials of the Mines Department attended the meeting.
Published – August 13, 2026 04:26 am IST
