Kerala and Tamil Nadu are working on a strategic collaboration to extract mineral sand from the Tamil Nadu coastline and process it into value-added products. In initial discussions between the Industries Ministers of both states, officials explored integrating Tamil Nadu’s mineral resources with Kerala’s technical expertise.

Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML) has assessed that proposed projects to source ilmenite — the key raw material for titanium dioxide — from Tamil Nadu would be profitable. Tamil Nadu has proposed that both mining and value addition should take place entirely within its territory, with the partnership aimed at enhancing production capacity across both states.

KMML has sought Tamil Nadu’s support to secure Union Government approval for mineral sand mining and for land allocation. The Kerala PSU has also requested the formation of a joint venture with Tamil Nadu Minerals Ltd (TAMIN). According to officials, the Tamil Nadu Government has agreed in principle and will move forward with the required follow-up actions. If successful, the venture is expected to be a major asset for Kerala’s PSUs, including KMML and Travancore Titanium Products Ltd (TTPL).

The meeting was attended by Kerala Industries Minister P. Rajeeve and his Tamil Nadu counterpart T.R.B. Rajaa, along with senior officials from both states. KMML was represented by its managing director, P. Pradeepkumar, and T. Karthikeyan, head of the mineral separation plant.

Beyond mineral sand mining, the states also discussed cooperation in areas such as AI-enabled governance, the electric vehicle ecosystem, tourism and broader technology partnerships.