Abstract
The beaches of Chavara and Manavalakuruchi of the southwest coast of India have rich heavy mineral concentrations with distinctive spatial and temporal distributions. Both locations exhibit high concentrations of heavy minerals on the northern sides of the headlands, with practically no concentration on the southern sides. Cross-shore, the sediments become less rich in the heavy minerals offshore. During the rough monsoon when the winds are onshore the concentration of heavy minerals along the mid-tide line of the beaches is considerably higher than during the calm non-monsoon when swell prevails. The concentrations of heavy minerals alongshore were highest in zones where the beach with relict sediments of high mineral content is eroding.