Rare Earth Element Archives in the Beach Placers of Peninsular India and Global Comparison

ABSTRACT Beach placer deposits along the east and west coasts of Peninsular India are critical archives of rare earth elements (REEs), hosted primarily in heavy minerals such as monazite, zircon, ilmenite and xenotime. These deposits are formed through the long‐term weathering of hinterland lithologies of the Precambrian basement, followed by hydrodynamic sorting and concentration along the coastline, rendering them significant contributors to the global supply of critical minerals. Monazite, the dominant carrier of light rare earth elements (LREEs) in Indian placers, occurs along extensive coastal stretches and records a complex provenance linked to adjoining Precambrian terrains. India hosts an estimated ~13.15 million tonnes of monazite reserves along its coast, placing the country among the world's major repositories of thorium and LREE resources. Geochemical data indicate elevated total REE concentrations, characteristic LREE enrichment and fractionation patterns consistent with felsic source rocks and selective mineral concentration processes. In a global context, these coastal sands share genetic and mineralogical affinities with placer deposits in Australia, Brazil, China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and the United States, although the Indian deposits are distinguished by their pronounced LREE‐rich signatures rather than heavy rare earth element (HREE) enrichment. Given the rising strategic demand and supply chain vulnerabilities associated with REEs for clean energy and high‐technology applications, these Indian placers archives have gained renewed importance for resource evaluation, provenance studies and critical mineral exploration. Furthermore, sustainable extraction and resource management frameworks are essential to balance economic development with long‐term environmental stewardship.