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Minerals and Energy Resources
• Mineral : is a homogenous , naturally occurring substance with a definite chemical
composition and different physical structure.It is found in varied forms in nature, ranging
from the hardest diamond to the softest talc .
• Rocks -They are a combination of minerals along with impurities. A rock can contain either
a single mineral or a number of minerals.
• Ore : is a mineral or combination of minerals from which a useful substance, such as a
metal, can be extracted and used to manufacture a useful product.
• The process of taking out minerals from rocks buried under the earth’s surface is called
Mining.
Occurrence of Minerals
• In igneous and metamorphic rocks minerals are found in Cracks, crevices, faults or joints
called veins ( smaller deposits) or lodes( larger deposits). E.g., Zinc, copper and lead.
• In sedimentary rocks they are found in the form of deds and layers as a result of deposition
and accumulation. E.g., Coal, iron, gypsum and sodium.
• Minerals are also found due to decomposition of surface rocks i.e.In the form of residual
mass containing ores. E.g., Bauxite.
• They are found in sands of valleys as alluvial deposits called placer deposits. E.g., Gold,
silver, tin and platinum.
• In oceans they are found in diffused form. E.g., Salt, magnesium, bromine etc.
Metallic Minerals
• Metallic minerals are those substances which provide metal after their processing such as
iron, copper, aluminum, tin, silver and gold.
• They are hard and have lustre or shine of their own.
• These can be smelted, can be drawn into sheets.
Non- metallic minerals
• Non metallic minerals are those which do not provide metal after their processing such as
sulphur, mica, coal, Petroleum etc.
• They are not hard and they do not have a of their own.
• They cannot be smelted and cannot be moulded into sheets.
Mineral
Iron
Uses
Industries, infrastructural
material, tools, machinery etc
Manganese
For making steel, bleaching
powder, insecticide and paints
Electric cables, electronics
and chemical industries
Copper
Bauxite
Used in electronic industry,
ship and aircraft
manufacturing, utensil making
Mica
Used in electronic industry
Areas
Jharkhand, Odisha,
Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa
and Maharashtra
Odisha
Balaghat mines- Madhya
Pradesh
Singhbhum district Jharkhand
Khetri Mines - Rajasthan
Amarkantak Plateau
Maikal hills Panchpatmali
mines in Koraput district ,
Odisha.
Koderma- Gaya- Hazaribagh
belt in Jharkhand
Ajmer in Rajasthan
Nellore in Andhra Pradesh.
Ferrous minerals
(i)Iron ore –
It is called as the Backbone of industrial development.
Main ores of Iron:
- Magnetite is the finest ore & has 70% iron.
- Hematite ore has 50 -60 % iron content .
- Limonite ore has 40 -60 % iron content .
- Siderite ore has 40 -50 % iron content .
The major iron ore in India are :
• Orissa –Jharkhand belts:– In Orissa high grade hematite ore is found in Badampahar mines in the Mayurbhanj
and Kendujhar districts.
– In the adjoining Singbhum districts of Jharkhand haematite iron ore is mined in Gua
and Noamundi
• Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt
– lies in the Chattisgarh and Maharashtra.
– Very high grade hematites are found in the famous Bailadila range of hills in the
Bastar district of Chattisgarh.
– The range of hills comprises of 14 deposits of super high grade hematite iron ore.
It has the best physical properties needed for steel making
• Ballary-Chitradurga-Chikmaglur-Tumkur belt :
– In Karnataka it has large reserves of iron ore.
– The Kudermukh mines located in the Western Ghats of Karnataka deposited are
known to be one of the largest in the world.
• Maharashtra-Goa belt :
– Includes the state of Goa and Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
– Though the ores are not of very high quality but are brought in use.
Hazards of mining:
Mining is called as killer industry because of following reasons:
1. Dust and noxious fumes inhaled by miners make them vulnerable to pulmonary diseases.
2. The risk of collapsing mines are a constant threat to miners.
3. Water sources both underground and river water gets contaminated or polluted by waste
generated during mining.
Conservation of minerals:
Why we need to conserve minerals
We need to conserve minerals because of following reasons:
1. Only 1% of total volume of the earth’s crust is workable mineral deposit.
2. The rate of formation of minerals is exceeding slow in comparison to the rate of
consumption.
3. Minerals are non-renewable and finite in nature.
4. Cost of extraction will keeps on increasing if near crust minerals are exhausted adding
burden to fragile economies.
How to conserve minerals
Minerals can be conserved in by the following measures:
1. Use of improved technologies to allow use of low grade minerals at low cost.
2. By using substitutes
3. Use of scrap metals
4. Recycling of metals is good way in which the mineral resources can be conserved.
5. They can be used in a judicious manner
Energy Resources:
Convectional energy resources
1. These resources are in use for long
period of time.
2. Most of these resources are nonrenewable except hydroelectricity.
3. Most of these resources are pollution
causing except hydro power.
Non- Conventional resources
1. These resources are in use from recent
times.
2. Most of these resources are renewable
barring nuclear energy.
3. Most of these resources are pollution
free except nuclear energy.
Conventional sources of energy
Coal
- Used for power generation, to supply energy- to industry as well as for domestic needs.
- India is highly dependent on coal for energy.
- Formed due the compression of plant material over millions of years.
On the basis of carbon content coal can be divided into:
1. Anthracite- Best quality hard coal.
2. Bituminous- Most popular for commercial use. Used in blast furnaces.
3. Lignite- Brown coal, which is soft with high moisture content.
4. Peat- Very high moisture content with low carbon, more of wood.
Coal in India:
Coal in India is found in two geological formations:
1. Tertiary coal- It is found in Himalayan region, in the states of Meghalaya, Arunachal
Pradesh, Assam etc.
2. Gondwana coal: It is mainly plateau region of south and central India. Damodar valley,
Jharia, Bokaro are important coal fields of this age.
Petroleum
- Major energy source in India after coal .
- Provides fuel for heat , lighting & manufacturing industries .
- It is found in folded and faulted regions. In faulted regions it is found in fault traps and in
folded regions it is trapped in crest or anticline between two non-porous rocks.
-63% of India’s petroleum production is from Mumbai High .
- Assam is the oldest oil producing state .
Natural Gas:
- It is used as a source of energy and in petrochemical industries as a raw material.
- It is clean and efficient source of energy.
- We have large reserves of natural gas in Krishna- Godavari basin.
-
1700 Km HVJ pipeline supplies natural gas from Mumbai High region to the fertilizer
plants of northern India.
Electricity –
It is mainly generated by 2 ways- Hydro electricity is generated by fast flowing water. It is renewable and non-pollution
causing.
- Thermal electricity is generated by using coal, petroleum & natural gas. There are 310
power plants in India. It is non-renewable and pollution causing.
Non – conventional sources of energy
Need to develop non-conventional sources of energy
Our over dependence on fossil fuels and their limited availability and rising prices forced us to
develop new and renewable sources of energy.
(i) Nuclear & atomic energy
- Obtained by altering the structure of atoms.
-Uranium & thorium are used for generating atomic or nuclear energy, mainly found in Jharkhand
and Rajasthan. Also Thorium is found in Monazite sands of Kerala.
- Limitation- Technology involved is expensive, disposing nuclear waste is also difficult.
(ii) Solar energy
-Solar Energy is the energy received from the sun that sustains life on earth
-For many decades solar energy has been considered as a huge source of energy and also
an economical source of energy because it is freely available.
- India being a tropical country can harness this resource very well.
- Thar desert provides ideal location for the development of solar energy.
- Limitation- It cannot be used in night and bad weather conditions, Initial technology is quite
expensive.
(iii) Wind power
-Wind power is produced by using wind generators to harness the kinetic energy of wind.
-It is gaining worldwide popularity as a large scale energy source.
- Coastal regions and desert areas are preferred for the production of wind energy.
- India is considered as wind super power. Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer are well known for the
production of wind power.
(iv) Biogas
- It is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide it is a renewable fuel produced from waste
treatment.
- Biogas is best used directly for cooking/heating, light or even absorption refrigeration rather
than the complication and energy waste of trying to make electricity from biogas.
(v) Tidal Energy:
- Dam like structure is built to trap the tidal water. This water runs turbine and generates
electricity.
Limitations- Can be used only in coastal areas, maintenance cost is high as saline water damages
turbines easily.
(iv) Geo Thermal energy- This energy is produced by the heat of earth’s interior.
- Near plate boundaries or weak zones this heat is found at shallow depths thus can be used
for generating electricity.
- Important geo thermal energy regions in India- Parvati valley in Himachal Pradesh, Puga
valley in Ladakh.
- Limitations- Can only be used in tectonically active regions.
Conservation of energy resources
- Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases.
- Do not leave appliances on standby.
- Cover your pots while cooking.
- Recycle your organic waste.
- Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit
wherever possible.
Question Answers
1. What is a mineral?
Ans. Minerals are a “homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal
structure.” Minerals are found in varied forms in nature, ranging from the hardest diamond to the
softest talc.
2. What are the basis of classification of minerals by the geologists?
Ans. Geologists use the properties such as colours, hardness, crystal forms, lustre and density to
classify the minerals.
3 What are ores?
Ans. Minerals found in their raw form is called as “ores”. That means ore is an accumulation of any
mineral mixed with other elements.
4 Mention any two factors which determine the extraction of minerals.
Ans. Extraction of any mineral depends upon its commercial viability
Commercial viability depends on the following factors:
1. Concentration: The mineral content of the ore must be in sufficient concentration to make its
extraction commercially viable.
2. Ease of extraction: The type of formation or structure in which they are found determines the
relative ease with which mineral ores may be mined. This also determines the cost of extraction.
3. Market and demand of mineral makes some minerals more commercially viable.
5 Explain the main types of formations in which minerals occur.
Ans. Minerals generally occur in the following forms:
(i) In igneous and metamorphic rocks minerals may occur in the cracks, crevices, faults or
joints. The smaller occurrences are called veins and the larger are called lodes. In most cases,
they are formed when minerals in liquid/ molten and gaseous forms are forced upward through
cavities towards the earth’s surface. They cool and solidify as they rise. Major metallic minerals
like tin, copper, zinc and lead etc. are obtained from veins and lodes.
(ii) In sedimentary rocks a number of minerals occur in beds or layers. They have been formed
as a result of deposition, accumulation and concentration in horizontal strata. Coal and some
forms of iron ore have been concentrated as a result of long periods under great heat and
pressure. Another group of sedimentary minerals include gypsum, potash salt and sodium salt.
These are formed as a result of evaporation especially in arid regions.
(iii) Another mode of formation involves the decomposition of surface rocks, and the removal of
soluble constituents, leaving a residual mass of weathered material containing ores. Bauxite is
formed this way.
(iv) Certain minerals may occur as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills.
These deposits are called ‘placer deposits’ and generally contain minerals, which are not
corroded by water. Gold, silver, tin and platinum are most important among such minerals.
(v) The ocean waters contain vast quantities of minerals, but most of these are too widely diffused
to be of economic significance. However, common salt, magnesium and bromine are largely
derived from ocean waters. The ocean beds, too, are rich in manganese nodules.
6 What is Rat-Hole Mining?
Ans. In the tribal areas of the north-east India, minerals are owned by individuals or communities.
In Meghalaya, there are large deposits of coal, iron ore, limestone and dolomite etc. Mining in
these areas is done by family member in the form of a long narrow tunnel, known as ‘Rat hole’
mining.
7 Which are the two types of mining?
1. Surface mining -Which includes An open pit mine and quarrying
2. Sub-surface mining (An underground mine with shafts)
8 Describe the general distribution of mineral resources in India.
Ans. India has rich and a large variety of minerals.
a. Peninsular rocks contain most of the reserves of coal, metallic minerals, mica and many other
non-metallic minerals.
b. Sedimentary rocks on the western and eastern coasts, in Gujarat and Assam have most of the
petroleum deposits.
c. The rock systems of the Rajasthan have reserves of many non-ferrous minerals.
d. The vast alluvial plains of north India are almost without minerals.
e. These variations exist largely because of the differences in the geological structure, processes
and time involved in the formation of minerals.
9 Give reason for the variation in the uneven distribution of minerals in India.
The variation in the uneven distribution of minerals in India. exist largely because of the
differences in the geological structure, processes and time involved in the formation of minerals
10. Which are the two types of Iron ore found in India ?
Types of iron ore in India:
a. Magnetite is the finest iron ore with a very high content of iron up to 70 percent. It has excellent
magnetic qualities.
b. Hematite ore has slightly lower iron content than magnetite (50-60 per cent). It is largest used
type of iron ore in Indian industries
11. Describe the distribution of Iron ore in India
Distribution of iron ore:
a. The five largest iron producing states are Karnataka, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Goaand Jharkhand.
b. Iron ore is found in the four belts
i. Orissa-Jharkhand belt: high grade hematite ore is found. Important mines are Badampahar and
Singbhum mines.
ii. Durg-Bastar belt lies in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra: Very high grade hematite are found.
Famous mine are Bailadila which produces iron best suited for steel making.
iii. Bellary-Chitradurga-Chikmaglur-Tumkur belt in Karnataka has large reserves of iron ore.
iv. Maharashtra-Goa belt includes the state of Goa and Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
12 Name the mines and the ports through which iron-ore is exported
Export of iron ore:
a. Hematite ore from Bailadila mines are exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakapatnam
port.
b. The Kudremukh mines located in the Western Ghats of Karnataka are a 100 per cent export
unit. Kudremukh deposits are known to be one of the largest in the world. The ore is transported
as slurry through a pipeline to a port near Mangalore.
c. Iron ore from Goa is not of very high quality, yet they are exported through Marmagao port.
13 What are the uses of Manganese ?
Uses of Manganese:
a. It is mainly used in the manufacturing of steel and ferro-manganese alloy.
b. Nearly 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture one tonne of steel.
c. It is also used in manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides and paints.
14 Name the leading producer of manganese in India
Orissa is the largest producer of manganese in India.
15 Which is the leading producer of Copper in India ?
Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of copper in India
16. Describe the distribution of copper in India
Distribution of copper:
a. Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of copper in India. The Balaghat mines
in Madhya Pradesh produce 52 per cent of India’s copper.
b. Rajasthan is the second largest producer of copper. The Khetri mines in Rajasthan are famous.
c. The Singbhum district of Jharkhand is also a leading producer of copper.
d. India is critically deficient in the reserve and production of copper.
17 What are the uses of Bauxite?
a. Bauxite is the ore which contain aluminium. It is from bauxite, a clay-like substance that alumina
and later aluminium is obtained.
b. Aluminium is an important metal because it has strength of iron; it is extremely light, good
conductor of electricity and great malleability.
c. It is used in electrical industries, aircraft manufacturing industries, utensils making, etc.
18 Describe the Distribution of Bauxite?
a. Orissa, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Maharashtra are the important bauxite producing states
of India.
b. Orissa is the largest bauxite producing state in India with 45 per cent of the country’s total
production in 2000-01. Panchpatmali deposits in Koraput district are the most important bauxite
deposits in the state.
19 What are the uses of mica?
a. Mica has excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties and
resistance to high voltage.
b. Therefore, mica is one of the largest used mineral in electric and electronic industries.
20 Describe the Distribution of Mica?
a. Jharkhand is the leading producer of mica in India.
b. Mica deposits are found in the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur plateau.
c. It is also found in Rajasthan, the major mica producing area is around Ajmer.
d. Nellore mica belt of Andhra Pradesh is also an important producer in the country.
21 What are the uses of Limestone?
Limestone is the basic raw material for the cement industry and essential for smelting iron ore in
the blast furnace.
22 Describe the distribution of limestone in India.
a . Limestone is found in rocks composed of calcium carbonates or calcium and magnesium
carbonates.
b. It is found in sedimentary rocks of most geological formations.
c. Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu are the major limestone producing states
of India.
23 What are the impacts of mining on the health of the miners and the environment?
Ans. Mining can become a killer industry. Its effects are:
a. The dust and noxious fumes inhaled by miners make them vulnerable to pulmonary diseases.
b. The risk of collapsing mine roofs, inundation and fires in coalmines are a constant threat to
miners.
c. The water sources in the region get contaminated due to mining.
d. Dumping of waste and slurry leads to degradation of land, soil, and increase in stream and river
pollution
24 Explain why the conservation of minerals is necessary in India.
Ans. Minerals are important for every country for its development. They need to be conserved.
a. Industry and agriculture depend upon mineral deposits.
b. Minerals are in insufficient quantities, just one per cent of the earth’s crust.
c. We are rapidly consuming mineral resources that required millions of years to be created and
concentrated.
d. The natural rate of replenishment is very small in comparison to the present rates of
consumption.
e. Mineral resources are non-renewable resources.
f. Rich mineral deposits in our country are short-lived.
g. Continued extraction of ores leads to increasing costs as mineral extraction.
25 Mention different steps or ways of conserving our mineral resources.
Ans. Minerals has to be conserved for the future generations.
a. A concerted effort has to be made in order to use our mineral resources in a planned and
sustainable manner.
b. Improved technologies need to be constantly evolved to allow use of low grade ores at low
costs.
c. Recycling of metals, using scrap metals and other substitutes are steps in conserving our
mineral resources for the future.
26. What are the problems associated with nuclear energy?
Ans. It is based on non renewable resource. There is no safe way of disposing nuclear waste and it
can lead to radio active leakage. Cost of installing nuclear power plant is quite high and technology
is equally expensive.
27. What is the main source of Thorium in India?
Ans. Monazite sands of Kerala
28. Solar energy is the future of energy in India. Why?
Ans. India is a tropical country, so we can tap solar energy easily. Also, it is eco-friendly and
renewable. It can easily be provided even in inaccessible areas. It will reduce the dependence on
dung cakes and would replace it as a domestic fuel. Though initial cost is still high but with the
improvement in technology it will be in the reach of the common people in near future.
29. How does the biogas plant operate?
Ans. Decomposed organic material produce more energy than Kerosene or cow dung cakes. These
plants are set up at municipal, cooperative and individual level. It uses farm waste or other organic
waste to produce bio gas. It also provides high quality manure.
30. How can we manage increasing energy demand?
Ans. 1. We should use public transport instead of private vehicles.
2. Switch off the electricity and electrical appliance when not in use.
3. By installing or using power saving devices.
4. By increasing the use of renewable sources of energy.