News
Reputed scientist says Balangoda calcite deposit quality cannot be found anywhere else in the world
By Ifham Nizam
The Balangoda calcite deposit is the best in the world, says Prof. H. M. G. A. Pitawala, Director of Post Graduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya.
Prof. Pitawala’s revelation prompted the Environment Ministry to explore the possibility of producing calcium carbonate as a value addition product using the 2,000 tonnes of waste calcite already excavated at the Balangoda Calcite deposit. In this regard, a discussion was chaired by Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera.
Officials of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, Central Environmental Authority, University of Peradeniya as well as the Ministry of Environment also participated.
Minor excavations at the Balangoda Calcite Deposit are being carried out by various individuals in an informal manner. Therefore, it was emphasised that to properly utilise the calcite deposit, a value added product of calcium carbonate should be produced that can be used in a number of industrial products.
Calcium carbonate was widely used in the manufacture of medicinal pills. It was also used in the building industry including paints, and in the production of animal feed, the Ministry’s research division said.
Plans are underway to set up a factory to manufacture calcium carbonate using this calcite deposit as a joint venture between the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, a state-owned Technical Services Company and the University of Peradeniya. Accordingly, the Minister instructed to expedite the signing of the relevant Memorandum of Understanding.
Prof. Pitawala told officials that it was unfortunate for the nation not to make the best use of the rare natural resource.
He said that no other country in the world had a calcite deposit comparable to the quality of the local deposit. In other countries, calcite deposits were associated with dolomite. Therefore, great effort had to be made to separate the two.
However, dolomite separation is not required as the Balangoda calcite deposit contained only calcite. Therefore, a high-tech process is not required and the professor requested that maximum use be made of the resource now, according to Prof. Pitiwala.
Minister Amaraweera inquired from officials what purpose the calcite in the Balangoda deposit was currently being used for.
They said the calcium carbonate in the world-famous calcite deposit was currently used only in animal feed.
Speaking at the event, Minister Amaraweera said that Sri Lanka had become a mendicant nation in spite of its resources as it did not make the best use of them.
Accepting deposits from political parties and independent groups who intend to contest the forthcoming Local Authorities Election ended at 12noon today [19].
Deposits were accepted at respective District Secretariats from 3rd March 2025.
The Elections Commission has announced that the deadline for the accepting of nominations for the LA poll is set to conclude at 12:00 noon tomorrow (20).
It has been reported that the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning (19),
The former IGP had been evading arrest after the Matara Magistrate’s court had ordered his arrest regarding a shooting incident that took place in front of the W15 Hotel Pelena, Weligama, Matara, in 2023.
The government has begun recovering funds obtained by former Lands and Land Development, Environment and Wildlife Resources Minister SM Chandrasena for the Janatha Lanka Chilli Marketing Limited (JLCML), which he headed, Parliament was informed yesterday.
Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation Minister Namal Karunaratne said that as the Chairman of JLCML, Chandrasena had obtained a loan of Rs. 1,275,000 from the Mihintale Govijana Seva Bank in 2001.
The principal of the loan had not been repaid until the end of last year. “After we came to power, we demanded that the loan be settled. Then, we discovered that the interest on the loan had not been paid for the past 24 years, and attempts had been made to have the loan written off. We stopped that and are now in the process of recovering the interest of Rs. 1,975,233 on the loan,” Karunaratne said.
Karunaratne added that JLCML was registered as a company with the Registrar of Companies on March 21, 2001. As Chairman of the company, Chandrasena requested a loan of Rs. 10 million on April 19, 2001, for the purpose of purchasing chillies from farmers in 12 farmer colonies in the Mihintale Agrarian Service area.
The request was approved by the Mihintale Agrarian Service Committee on the same day and referred to the Anuradhapura District Agrarian Operations Committee, which approved it on April 23, 2001. However, the Agriculture Development Commissioner General recommended that a loan of Rs. 1.2 million would suffice for this purpose. JLCML took the loan and failed to repay it until the end of last year. When the matter was raised, the principal was paid, and we are now in the process of recovering the interest that was not paid for the past 24 years,” Karunaratne added.
By Saman Indrajith
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