Abstract:
Eastern coast of Sri Lanka is abundant with heavy minerals,
particularly at Pullmuddai where Sri Lanka's only heavy mineral processing
plant is situated. Verugal is one other areas where there is a rich, heavy mineral
deposit that has the potential to be exploited.Heavy mineral beach sand
deposits are dynamic in which the composition and the amount of reserves vary
with time due to changes in coastal waves and currents. Therefore, a proper
understanding of the replenishment dynamics is required to develop a
comprehensive mine plan for the extraction of heavy mineral sand. This study
focuses on the understanding replenishment mechanism at Verugal Beach
Heavy Mineral Deposit. Samples from test pits were collected along the
transect perpendicular to the beach at approximately 500 m interval from visible
deposit at Verugal area representing bothsouthwestern monsoon and
northwestern monsoon. Collected samples were subjected to sieve analysis to
understand the grain size distribution and grain counting through reflected
microscope to understand the heavy mineral concentration. Variations in
deposit dimensions with seasonal weather changes along withspecific heavy
mineral concentrations and replenishment rates can be used to develop a proper
mining plan to commence sustainable extraction.
Citation:
Dissanayake, D.M.C.J.B., Igalawithana, T.D., Karunarathne, A.V.P.I., Maduranga, S.W.M., Udayakumara, P.W.G., Amalan, K., & Rathnayake, N.P. (2014). Replenishment dynamics at Verugal beach heavy mineral deposit. In P.V.A. Hemalal (Ed.), Proceedings of the 8th National Conference on Earth Resources Management (pp. 27-31). Department of Earth Resources Engineering, University of Moratuwa.