Mystery contract to exploit ilmenite in Mannar

A committee of officials will be appointed to probe reports that an Australian company together with Sri Lankan counterparts has been granted a contract to extract ilmenite in the Mannar area, the Cabinet decided this week.

The move came after the Industries and Supply Chain Management Minister Wimal Weerawansa told ministers that media reports had claimed such a project was under way. However, he told his colleagues that his Ministry had given no such approval and no records were available in his Ministry. Such a joint ‘project’ also had a website, he said.

The Minister said queries made by him had revealed that such a project was under way. The committee is to be named next week.