UPSC Express

Minerals

Metallic 

Ferrous – Iron, manganese

Non Ferrous – Cu, Bauxite

Non Metallic 

Fuel – Coal, Oil, petroleum

Others – mica, limestone, granite

Iron ore 

• India has largest reserve in Asia
• Haematite and magnetite
  • Northern Orissa – Rourkela steel plant (German collaboration)
  • Jharkand – Jamshedpur , Bokaro steel plant (Russian collaboration)
  • Chattisgarh – Bhilai steel plant (Russian collaboration)
  • Western WB – Durgapur steel plant (UK Collaboration)
  •  Goa

 

• Iron Vs Steel

  • Iron is an element while steel is an alloy.
  • Steel is a derivative of iron.
  • Steel is actually made by mixing iron with carbon; hence it is a byproduct of iron
  • The iron that contains less than 2% of carbon is called steel whereas which contain more than 2% of carbon is known as pig iron

Manganese 

• Raw material for smelting of iron and used for manufacturing ferro alloys
  • Orissa
  • Karnataka
  • Maharashtra

Bauxite 

• ore used in the manufacturing of Aluminium
• Found in tertiary deposits
• Associated with laterite rocks
  • Orissa – Kalahandi and Sambalpur
  • Jharkhand
  • Chattisgarh
  • MP

Copper

• Making wires, electric motors, generators, transformers
• Mixed with gold for strength
• Alloy able, malleable, ductile
  • Jharkhand – Singhbhum
  • MP
  • RJ

Mica

• Used in electrical and electronics industries
  • Jharkhand
  • Andhra – Nellore
  • Rajasthan

Coal

• Generation of thermal power and smelting of iron ore
• Bituminous type and non coking grade
  • Damodar Valley – Jharkhand Bengal belt
    • Raniganj
    • Jharia
    • Bokaro
  • TN – Brown coal/brown diamond/Lignite

Petroleum 

• Liquid gold
• Automobiles, railways, aircrafts
• Byproducts are used in soaps, wax, lubricants, vaseline etc..
  • Assam – Digboi
  • Gujarat
  • Mumbai high
  • KG Basin
  • Kaveri Basin
• Oil needs to be refined
  • Field Based – Digboi, Assam
  • Market Based – Barauni, Bihar