With reference to India, consider the following statements: 1. Monazite is a source of rare earths. 2. Monazite contains thorium. 3. Monazite occurs naturally in the entire Indian coastal sands in India. 4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Option (b) is correct because monazite is a primary source of rare earths and thorium, and as a "prescribed substance" under the Atomic Energy Act, its processing and export are restricted to government entities like IREL. Statement 3 is incorrect because monazite occurs in specific concentrations along certain coastal stretches (e.g., Kerala, Odisha) rather than the entire Indian coastline. The core concept tested is the geographical distribution and regulatory framework of strategic atomic minerals in India.