FR petition filed against heavy mineral sand mining project in Mannar

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the proposed heavy mineral sand extraction project on Mannar Island.  

The petition, filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice and Rev. Fr. Santhiyogu Marcus along with three others, seeks an order suspending the operation of the Terms of Reference (TOR) or the license issued for mining activities in the Mannar area.  

When the matter was taken up before a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Sampath Abayakoon, the Court fixed the petition for support on February 10.,

The petitioners state that in 2024, authorities issued TORs for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a proposed project involving heavy mineral sand mining and the establishment of a mineral separation plant within designated exploration areas EL423 and EL424. These zones reportedly cover key coastal stretches of Mannar Island, extending from Upputharavai–Pesalai to South Bar–Thalvupadu.  

They contend that since the proposed project site lies within the Coastal Zone, the proponents are legally bound to comply with the Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Actand the Sri Lanka Coastal Zone and Coastal Resource Management Plan 2024–2029. This includes conducting a full EIA, obtaining all mandatory permits, and implementing robust mitigation measures to prevent ecological damage. The petitioners further stress that the Coast Conservation Department bears a vital duty to ensure that the project does not threaten the island’s fragile marine ecology or disrupt the balance of the coastal environment.  

The petitioners alleged that the project aims to extract valuable beach mineral deposits, primarily ilmenite, often dubbed “black gold”. Ilmenite, a key raw material used in producing titanium dioxideand titanium metal, is highly sought after in industries such as aerospace, paint, plastics,and paper manufacturing.

M.A. Sumanthiran PC with Senior Counsel Ravindranath Dabare appeared for the petitioners. Deputy Solicitor General Awanthi Perera appeared for the Attorney General.