Minerals of India PDF

(iv) Certain minerals may occur as alluvial non-ferrous minerals. The vast alluvial plains deposits in sands of valley floors and the of north India are almost devoid of economic base of hills. These deposits are called minerals. These variations exist largely be...

(iv) Certain minerals may occur as alluvial non-ferrous minerals. The vast alluvial plains deposits in sands of valley floors and the of north India are almost devoid of economic base of hills. These deposits are called minerals. These variations exist largely because ‘placer deposits’ and generally contain of the differences in the geological structure, minerals, which are not corroded by water. processes and time involved in the formation Gold, silver, tin and platinum are most of minerals. important among such minerals. Let us now study the distribution of a few (v) The ocean waters contain vast quantities major minerals in India. Always remember that of minerals, but most of these are too widely the concentration of mineral in the ore, the ease diffused to be of economic significance. of extraction and closeness to the market play However, common salt, magnesium and an important role in affecting the economic bromine are largely derived from ocean viability of a reserve. Thus, to meet the demand, waters. The ocean beds, too, are rich in a choice has to be made between a number of manganese nodules. possible options. When this is done a mineral ‘deposit’ or ‘reserve’ turns into a mine. Ferrous Minerals Rat-Hole Mining. Do you know that most Ferrous minerals account for about three- of the minerals in India are nationalised fourths of the total value of the production of and their extraction is possible only after metallic minerals. They provide a strong base obtaining due permission from the for the development of metallurgical industries. government? But in most of the tribal India exports substantial quantities of ferrous areas of the north-east India, minerals are minerals after meeting her internal demands. owned by individuals or communities. In Meghalaya, there are large deposits of coal, Iron Ore iron ore, limestone and dolomite etc. Coal Iron ore is the basic mineral and the backbone mining in Jowai and Cherapunjee is done of industrial development. India is endowed by family member in the form of a long with fairly abundant resources of iron ore. India narrow tunnel, known as ‘Rat hole’ is rich in good quality iron ores. Magnetite is mining. The National Green Tribunal has the finest iron ore with a very high content of declared such activities illegal and iron up to 70 per cent. It has excellent magnetic recommended that these should be qualities, especially valuable in the electrical stopped forthwith. industry. Hematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of the quantity Dig a little deeper: What is the difference used, but has a slightly lower iron content than between an open pit mine, a quarry and an magnetite. (50-60 per cent). In 2018–19 almost underground mine with shafts? entire production of iron ore (97%) accrued from Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and India is fortunate to have fairly rich and Jharkhand. The remaining production (3%) varied mineral resources. However, these are was from other states. unevenly distributed. Broadly speaking, peninsular rocks contain most of the reserves of coal, metallic minerals, mica and many other Kudre in Kannada means horse. The non-metallic minerals. Sedimentary rocks on highest peak in the western ghats of the western and eastern flanks of the peninsula, Karnataka resembles the face of a horse. in Gujarat and Assam have most of the The Bailadila hills look like the hump of petroleum deposits. Rajasthan with the rock an ox, and hence its name. systems of the peninsula, has reserves of many 44 CONTEMPORARY INDIA – II Reprint 2024-25