Amaravati, February 25 Andhra Pradesh Mines Minister K Ravindra said on Wednesday that the government is working towards developing the state as a "rare earth element corridor".
Addressing a workshop in Vijayawada, the minister noted that beach sand minerals are key for the industrial development of Andhra Pradesh.
"The Andhra Pradesh coastline is a repository of key minerals for the country. The government is moving forward to develop the state as a rare earth element corridor," Ravindra said.
Along with exploring minerals and transforming the state into a manufacturing hub, he said the southern state is proceeding towards becoming "Golden Andhra".
According to the minister, the coastline stretching from Srikakulam to Machilipatnam is richly endowed with mineral wealth.
In addition, he said that beach sand minerals have become crucial for clean energy, electric vehicles, electronics, aerospace, and defense industries.
He said that 16 types of mineral reserves have been identified in over 16,000 hectares in the state.