MINERALS AND ENERGY RESOURCES OF INDIA
Geography
INTRODUCTION
• India is richly endowed with mineral resources due to its varied geological structure.
• Most valuable minerals belong to pre-Palaeozoic age and are associated with igneous and metamorphic rocks of Peninsular India.
• The vast alluvial plains of North India are almost devoid of economically important minerals.
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MODE OF OCCURRENCE OF MINERALS
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1. In Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks:
• Minerals occur in cracks, joints and faults.
• Small deposits are called veins, large ones are called lodes.
• Examples: Tin, Copper, Zinc, Lead.
2. In Sedimentary Rocks:
• Minerals occur in beds or layers due to deposition.
• Examples: Coal, some types of iron ore.
• Gypsum, potash and salt are formed by evaporation in arid regions.
3. Residual Deposits:
• Formed by weathering and leaching of rocks.
• Example: Bauxite.
4. Placer Deposits:
• Found in river valleys and at the base of hills.
• Contain heavy and non-corrodible minerals.
• Examples: Gold, Silver, Tin, Platinum.
5. Ocean Deposits:
• Common salt, magnesium and bromine obtained from sea water.
• Ocean beds contain manganese nodules.
6. Special Case – Meghalaya:
• Coal mining by “Rat-hole mining” in Jowai and Cherrapunjee regions.
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DISTRIBUTION OF MINERALS IN INDIA
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• Most metallic minerals occur in Peninsular Plateau.
• 97% of coal reserves: Damodar, Son, Mahanadi and Godavari valleys.
• Petroleum: Assam, Gujarat, Mumbai High, Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.
• Most minerals lie east of the line joining Mangalore and Kanpur.
MAJOR MINERAL BELTS
1. North-Eastern Plateau Belt:
• Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh.
• Rich in coal, iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite.
2. South-Western Plateau Belt:
• Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu uplands, Kerala.
• Rich in iron ore, manganese, limestone, bauxite.
• Kerala: Monazite and thorium.
• Goa: Iron ore.
3. North-Western Belt:
• Rajasthan and Gujarat (Aravalli region).
• Copper, zinc, marble, sandstone, gypsum, limestone.
• Gujarat: Petroleum and salt.
4. Himalayan Belt:
• Copper, lead, zinc, tungsten, cobalt.
• Assam: Petroleum.
• Mumbai High: Offshore oil.
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FERROUS MINERALS
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IRON ORE
• India has the largest reserves in Asia.
• Types: Hematite and Magnetite.
• 95% reserves in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu.
MANGANESE
• Used in steel making and ferro-alloys.
• Mainly associated with Dharwar system.
• Odisha is the largest producer.
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NON-FERROUS MINERALS
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BAUXITE
• Ore of aluminium.
• Found in laterite and tertiary deposits and coastal regions.
COPPER
• Used in electrical industry and alloys.
• Major areas:
- Singhbhum (Jharkhand)
- Balaghat (MP)
- Jhunjhunu and Alwar (Rajasthan)
• Minor areas: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu.
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NON-METALLIC MINERALS
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MICA
• Used in electrical and electronic industries.
• Can be split into thin, flexible sheets.
LIMESTONE AND DOLOMITE
• Used in cement industry.
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ENERGY RESOURCES
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CONVENTIONAL ENERGY RESOURCES
COAL
• Found in Gondwana and Tertiary rocks.
Types:
• Lignite – low grade, Neyveli (Tamil Nadu).
• Bituminous – most common, used in industry.
• Anthracite – highest quality coal.
• Damodar Valley is the main coal belt.
PETROLEUM
• Found in sedimentary rocks of tertiary age.
• Trapped in anticlines and fault traps.
• 63% from Mumbai High, 18% from Gujarat, 16% from Assam.
NATURAL GAS
• GAIL set up in 1984.
• Found in Assam, Gujarat, KG basin, Tripura, Rajasthan and offshore areas.
NUCLEAR ENERGY RESOURCES
URANIUM
• Found in Singhbhum belt, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh.
THORIUM
• Obtained from monazite sands of Kerala and Tamil Nadu coasts.
• World’s richest monazite deposits in Kerala and Odisha coast.
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NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY RESOURCES
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SOLAR ENERGY
• Abundant in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• Used in heaters, cookers, dryers etc.
WIND ENERGY
• Pollution-free and renewable.
• Major states: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu.
• Major plants: Kachchh (Gujarat), Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu).
TIDAL AND WAVE ENERGY
• Gulf of Kachchh has high potential.
• 900 MW tidal project planned.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
• Derived from heat inside Earth.
• Hot springs and geysers can be used for power generation.
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CONCLUSION
• Mineral and energy resources form the backbone of industrial and economic development.
• Sustainable and scientific use is necessary for future generations.
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Subject: Geography
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