Minerals And Energy Resources

Give two examples of non-metallic minerals.

Answer explanation

Non-metallic minerals are those minerals which don’t include the qualities

of the metallic minerals like density, malleable, ductile and good conductor of

heat and electricity. For example – Salt and Potash

NOTE – other examples are – Mica, Sulphur, Granite, Limestone, Marble, Sandstone,

etc.

Which minerals are indispensable for electric and electronic industries?

Answer explanation

Mica is one of the minerals which is indispensable for electric and electronic

industries. It is a mineral formed by the series of plates or leaves and can be clear,

black, green, red, yellow or brown. Mica mineral easily splits into thin sheets which can

be layered into a mica sheet of a few centimetres high. It is indispensable for electric

and electronic industries because of excellent Di- electric strength, low power loss

factor, insulating properties and resistance to high voltage.

Mica is usually found in the Northern edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau and the leading

producer of Mica is the Koderma Gaya – Hazaribagh belt of Jharkhand. Ajmer in

Rajasthan is another leading Mica producing area. Another important producer is the

Nellore Mica belt of Andhra Pradesh

Name the type of coal mining carried on in Meghalaya.

Answer explanation

Rat hole Mining is the type of coal mining carried on in Meghalaya. In India, to

extract minerals, individual needs the due permission of the government as most of the

minerals are nationalised or acquired by the government of the country. In case of

Meghalaya, it is different; coal mines in the tribal areas of North-east India are acquired

by the individuals and communities rather than the government. Large deposits of coal,

iron ore, limestone and dolomite, etc are found in Meghalaya. In Jowai and

Cherapunjee, coal mining is done by family members by digging a long narrow tunnel,

which is referred to as ‘Rat hole Mining’.

Where is an experimental geothermal energy project located in India?

Answer explanation

The term ‘Geothermal energy’ refers to the electricity and the heat that is

generated by using the heat from the interior of the Earth. Parvati Valley near

Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh and Puga Valley, Ladakh is the places where an

experimental geothermal energy project has been set up.

What are ores? Give example. What are ‘placer deposits’? Give example of

mineral found in such deposits.

Answer explanation

The term ‘Ores’ is referred to the gathering of such minerals which are

mixed with other elements. To make its extraction sodium salt, the mineral content

should be in sufficient concentration of the ore. For example – Iron ore is the basic

mineral with excellent magnetic qualities. India is one such country with good quality of

iron ores. Magnetite and Hematite are the finest and important industrial iron ores

respectively.

‘Placer deposits’ have those minerals which are not destroyed by the water.

These are such minerals which are found as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors

and the base of hills. Minerals found in such deposits are Gold, Silver, Tin and

Platinum.

Mineral resources in India are unevenly distributed.” Support the

statements with three suitable examples.

Answer explanation

Yes, it is true that “Mineral resources in India are unevenly distributed.” India is

one such country which acquires rich and different types of mineral resources. The

uneven distribution is due to the fact that India as a country has variation in Geological

structure, processes and difference in time involved in the formation of minerals. Three

examples to support this statement are as follows:

• The majority of the coal reserves, metallic minerals, Mica and other non-metallic

minerals are found in peninsular rocks.

• Most of the petroleum deposits are found sedimentary rocks in the Western and

Eastern flanks of the Peninsula, in Gujarat and Assam.

• Reserves of the non-ferrous minerals are found in Rajasthan with the rock systems of

the Peninsula. Moreover, there is a lack of economic minerals in the vast alluvial plains

of North India

What are the uses of copper? Name the two leading copper production

states of India.

Answer explanation

Even though India has rich and varied minerals available the availability and

production of copper were poor.

The various uses of Copper are as follows:

• Copper consist the quality like ductility and malleability.

• It is also a good conductor of heat and electricity.

• Copper as a mineral is mainly used in electrical cables, electronics and chemical

industries.

The two leading copper production states of India are – 52% of India’s copper is

produced in the Balaghat mine in Madhya Pradesh and another leading producing of

copper is Singbhum district of Jharkhand. Also, Khetri mines in Rajasthan are the

popular copper mines of India.

Why is there a pressing need to use non-conventional sources of energy in

India? Give three reasons.

Answer explanation

Non-conventional sources of energy are those forms of energy which is

renewable and unlimited. It doesn’t cause environmental pollution. Solar energy, Wind,

Tide, Biomass and energy from waste material are the non-conventional sources of

energy. Various reasons to prove why it is necessary to use non-conventional sources

of energy –

• As the country is developing, the consumption of energy is also growing which led to

an increase in the use of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. This caused serious

environmental problems.

• As the prices of the oil and gas are increasing and also, increasing usage of such

energy sources might lead to its shortage which will affect the security of energy supply

for the future generation.

• This will cause various consequences on the growth of the national economy of the

country.

Name the ore from which aluminium is obtained. Why is aluminium

considered to be an important metal? Name the areas which have rich deposits of

the ore of aluminium.

Answer explanation

Aluminium is obtained from the Bauxite Ore. There are many ores that

contain aluminium but Bauxite is clay-like substance from which alumina and later

aluminium are acquired. It is formed by the decomposition of the different types of rocks

which contains aluminium silicates.

Aluminium is considered to be an important metal because it contains the

strength of the metal like iron. It has good conductivity, great malleability and is

extremely light.

The areas which have rich deposits of the ore of aluminium are – Amarkantak Plateau,

Maikal hills, plateau region of Bilaspur-Katni. According to the country’s total

production of 2000-2001, Orissa is the largest Bauxite producing state in India and

the most important Bauxite deposit are the Panchpatmali deposits in Koraput

district.

Highlight the importance of petroleum. Explain the occurrence of

petroleum in India.

Answer explanation

After Coal, Petroleum is the major energy source in India. Also called as

Mineral oil, there is various importance of Petroleum –

• Petroleum serves as the fuel for heat and lighting, as lubricants for machinery

and as raw material for manufacturing industries.

• Refineries of petroleum act as the ‘Nodal industries’. Nodal industries are those

industries around which such industries develop which manufacture the goods

produced by the Nodal industries. Petroleum refineries serve as the Nodal industries

for synthetic textile, fertiliser and for chemical industries.

Petroleum occurs in the tertiary age through anticlines and fault traps in the rock

formations. It also occurs where oil is trapped in the crest of the upfold in the regions of

anticlines, folding or domes. This layer of oil is a porous limestone or sandstone from

which oil flows and because of the non-porous layers, oil is stopped from rising or

sinking. Between the porous and non-porous rocks, petroleum is found in fault traps.

From Mumbai High, 63% of India’s petroleum production was obtained and 18% and

16% from Gujarat and Assam respectively. In Gujarat, Ankleshwar is the most important

field. The oldest oil-producing state in India is the Assam where Digboi, Nahrkatiya and

Moran-Hugrijan are the important oil fields.