Visakhapatnam: A number of Vizagites are involved after sand in a specific stretch close to RK Seaside in Visakhapatnam turned black.
In accordance with consultants, coastal erosion-accretion cycle usually washes down gentle minerals from coastal sediments into sea, leaving heavy density minerals (heavier than quartz) on the seashore.
The collected heavy minerals are normally of a darkish color, making the sand patches within the space look black. This specific strip close to RK Seaside is situated near the Naval Coast Battery junction, the place sand usually turns black, is a slender stretch in comparison with different elements of the seashore.
This is also the rationale for a better influence of the erosion-accretion cycle on this a part of the seashore, resulting in heavy mineral deposition and consequently leaving a black residue.
The world reported related black sand incident in August 2022.
For instance, black-sand formation may be noticed in some elements of the coast close to the Baruva seashore in Srikakulam district on a continuing foundation because of the presence of heavy minerals.
In accordance with research, the heavy minerals within the seashore sand samples in these elements of south India is estimated at 12%. Ilmenite (titanium-iron oxide) accounts for about 50% of the overall heavy mineral composition within the seashore sand, adopted by rutile, garnet, zircon, monazite, sillimanite, and so on. Sand mining (separation of heavy minerals by means of uncooked sand processing) permission was given to a non-public firm in Srikakulam district a couple of decade in the past. Nonetheless, it was later stopped because of the Union authorities’s determination of not permitting personal gamers into sand mining. The seashore sand incorporates even radioactive minerals like monazite, which finds key software in defence and vitality programs.
Former Andhra College geology professor Dr M Jagannadha Rao stated that the heavy minerals retained on the seashore combined with the sand over time provides it a black color.
“It’s a cyclical course of between the coastal erosion and accretion. The identical phenomenon occurred in a number of elements of the East Coast previously. If one intently examines the black sand, he/she will discover shining particles of assorted heavy metals,” stated Prof Rao.
Former head of the division of meteorology and oceanography, Andhra College, OSRU Bhanu Kumar, stated that wave motion and sea currents, which rely on varied elements, is just like that of the adjustments that occur on the land a part of the Earth. “These processes usually resolve the color of the sand/land subsequent to sea,” stated Prof Bhanu Kumar.

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