Minerals and Energy Resources

What is the importance of minerals?

1. Minerals are important in our daily lives , forming everything from a pin to large buildings

2. Minerals help in building machinery , roads and transportation like planes , buses , trains and cars

3. Our food contains important minerals for our body

4. People depend on minerals for their livelihood , decoration , festivities , religious and ceremonal.

5. Geographers study minerals in earth crust to understand landforms.

Define Minerals. Where are they found?

A mineral is a homogenous , naturally occurring substance having a defined internal structure. Rocks are the combinations of homoegenous substancees called minerals. Some rocks consits of single mineral while most of them contain several minerals in differing quantities.

What is the mode of occurrence of minerals?

Minerals are usually found in the form of ore. The term or is used to describe a collection of minerals mixed with other elements. The mineral content of ore must be high so that extraction is commercially useful.

Minerals generally occur in the following forms:

1. Veins and Lodes

   • In igneous and metamorphic rocks , minerals can be found in cracks or faults.

   • Minerals found in small faults are called veins

   • Minerals found in big cracks are called lodes.

   • Metals like tin , lead and copper are found in veins and lodes

2. Beds or Layers

   • In sedimentary rocks , minerals are formed in beds or layers due to deposition , accumulation and concentration of minerals in horizontal layers of the rock.

   • Coal , iron , gypsum , potash salt and sodium salt are found in beds.

   • Sometimes beds are formed due to evaporation in dry areas.

3. Decomposition of Surface Rocks

   • When decomposition of rocks takes place , it leaves residues mass which contains mineral ores.

   • Bauxite is formed by decomposition.

4. Alluvial Deposits

   • Some minerals are found as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and at the base of the hills.

   • These deposits are known as placer deposits.

   • These minerals are not corroded by water like gold , silver and platinum

5. Ocean Waters

   • Many minerals like common salt , magnesium and bromine are obtained from ocean waters.

   • Manganese nodules are found in ocean beds.

Explain the distribution of minerals in India

1. Peninsular Platue - contains most of the minerals reservers of coal , metallic minerals , non ferrous minerals and non metallic minerals

2. Gujarat and Assam - sedimentary rocks in the region contains petroleum deposits

3. Rajasthan - large reserves of non-ferrous minerals

4. Northern Plains - very little to no economic value of minerals present in the region.

How are minerals classified

1. Metallic Minerals

   1. Ferrous - contains iron (Example - iron ore , manganese , cobalt , nickel)

   2. Non-Ferrous - copper , lead , bauxite

   3. Precious - gold , silver , platinum

2. Non - Metallic Minerals - mica , potash , granite , limestone

3. Energy Minerals - coal , natural gas , petroluem

Write a detailed note on the iron ore.

Types of Iron Ores

1. Magnetite is the finest iron ore , it has almost 70% iron content. It has excellent magnetic properties making it highly useful in the electric industry.

2. Hematite has iron content between 50-60%. It is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of the quantity used.

Major Iron Ore Belts in India

1. Odisha-Jharkhand Belt -

   1. Badampahar mines - mayurbhanj and kendujhar distict - high grade hematite

   2. Singbhum district - Jharkhand - haematite iron ore is mined in Gua and Noamundi

2. Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur Belt

   1. Chattisgrah and Maharashtra

   2. 14 high grade hematite deposits in Batiladila range of hills in bastar district of Chattisgarh

   3. Iron ore from these mines is exported to Japan and South Korea through Vishakapatanam Port

3. Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru Belt -

   1. Large iron ore reserves

   2. Kudermukh mines in western ghat

   3. All iron produced in this mine are exporeted and known to be the largest in the world

4. Maharashtra-Goa Belt

   1. Includes Goa and Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

   2. Low quantity of ore but it is utilised effectively.

   3. Ore is exported through the Marmagao port.

Write a short note on manganese

1. It is a ferrous metal and a metallic element used in manufacturing of steel and ferro-magnetic alloys.

2. Nearly 10kg of Manganese is needed to manufacture one tonne of steel.

3. It is also used in manufacturing insecticides , bleaching powder and paints.

Write a short note on copper.

1. It is a non-ferrous mineral

2. It is an important mineral due to its excellent electrical conductivity.

3. It is heavily used in the chemical and electronics industries.

4. India lacks copper reserves and production

5. Leading producers are Khetri mines in rajasthan , Balaghar mines in Madhya Pradesh and Singhbhum district of Rajasthan

Write a short note on Bauxite.

1. Bauxite is a non-ferrous mineral that is used for obtaining aluminium.

2. It is formed by deposition of rocks rich in aluminium silicates.

3. Alumina is extracted from bauxite ore and is later developed into aluminium

4. Aluminium is known for its strength , lightness and good conductivity , it being widely used in manufacturing and electrical industries.

5. Amarkantak Platue , Maikal hills and plateau region of Bilaspur-Katni are main regions of bauxite deposits in Madhya Pradesh

6. Odisha was the largest bauxite producing state in India in 2016-17. Panchmpatmali deposits in Koraput district are the most important centres of bauxite deposits in Odisha

Write a short note on Mica.

1. It is a non metallic mineral that is used in electrical and electronics industry due to its di-electric strengh , low power loss factor , insulating properties and resistance to high voltage.

2. It occurs in the form of plates or leaves which can be split into sheets.

3. Mica can be clear , black , green , red , yellow or brown.

4. Its deposits are found in Koderma-Gaya-Hazaribagh belt of Jharkhand which is the leading producer.

5. Other mica producing regions are Ajmer (Rajashtan) and Nellore (Andhra Pradesh)

Write a short note on Limestone

1. It is a non metallic mineral or rock mineral found in sedimentary rocks

2. it is composed of calcium carbonate or calcium and magnesium carbonate.

3. Limestone is used for smelting iron ores in blast furnaces of stell plants and is the basic raw material for manufacturing of cement.

4. Rajasthan ha the highest share of limestone production in India.

What are the hazards of mining activities?

1. It has a risk to life due to collapse of roofs , overflow of water and fire

2. Dumping of waste and slurry leads to land degradation , soil erosion and increases the steam and river pollution.

3. Mining causes respiratory disease and pulmonary disorder to miners.

What can we do to conserve minerals?

1. Use of mineral resources should be in a planned and sustainable manner.

2. Technologies should be developed to utilise lower grade ores at lower costs.

3. Metals should be recycled and alternatives like scrap metals should be used.

Write a short note on coal.

1. It is the most abundantly available fossil fuel in India.

2. It is used heavily in industries and thermal power stations.

3. It is bulky material and hard to tranpsport.

4. Coal is formed by the compression of plan material over millions of years.

5. There are different types of coal based on the degree of compression.

1. Peat - It is formed by the decaying of plants in swamps , it has low carbon content , low heating capacity and high moisture content.

2. Lignite - It is a low grade brown coal , it is soft and has high moisture content. It is used for electricity generation , the important lignite reserves are in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu

3. Bituminous - It is the most popular coal for commercial use. High grade bituminous coal is ideal for smelting iron in blast furnaces.

4. Antracite - It is the highest quality of hard coal and has the highest carbon content.

Coal occurs in rock series of the two main geological ages

1. Gondwana Coal - formed over 200 million years ago , located in the Damodar valley , Coal fields - Jharia , Raniganj and Bokaro , Coal deposits - godavari , mahanadi , son and wardha valleys

2. Tertiary Coal - formed over 55 million years ago , found in North eastern states of Meghalaya , Assam , Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh

Write a short note on Petroleum

1. It is known as mineral gold or liquid gold

2. It is the second highest used energy source in India.

3. Petroleum refineries provide raw material for synthetic textile , fertiliser , and chemical due to which these act as nodal industry.

4. Natural occurrence of petroleum in India is associated with anticlines and fault traps of tertirary rocks.

5. In folding arnticline or dome regions , oil is trapped in the crest of the upfold.

6. Oil flows through poroous layer of limestone or sandstone

7. Mumbai high , Gujarat and Assam are major oil producers of India.

8. Ankelshwar is the most important oil field in Gujarat.

9. Assam is the oldest oil producer of india , the important fields of Assam are Digboi , Naharkatiya and Moran-Hugrijan

Write a note on natural gas

1. It is found alongside petroleum depists and it is released when crude oil is extracted.

2. It serves and fuel for domestic , industrial and power generation needs.

3. It is emerging as preffered transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG)

4. India has major gas reserves in Mumbai High , Cambay and Krishna Godavari basins

Write a short note on electricity.

It has a wide range of application and the per capita electricity consumption of a place is considered an index of development. It is generated in two ways

1. By burnng fossil fuels that supplied energy to drive turbine and produce electricity. They use non-renewable fossil fuels to generate electricty.

2. By running water which drives hydro turbines to generate electricty , electricity is run by fast flowing water of various multi purpose projects.

Write a short note on Non-Conventional sources of energy

Nuclear or Atomic Energy

1. It is generated by changing the structure of the atom that releases heat and energy which is used to generate electric power.

2. Uranium and Thorium found in the aravali ranges of Rajasthan and Jharkhand are sued for generating nuclear or atomic energy.

3. Thorium is also found in monazite sands of Kerala.

Write a short note on Solar energy

1. India being a tropical country has enourmous possibilities of using solar energy

2. Photovoltaic technology is used to convert sunlight directly into electricity.

3. It is emerging as a fuel source in rural and remote places , it will reduce the dependence on firewood and dung cakes.

Write a short note on wind power

1. The largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil Nadu from Nagarcoil to Madurai

2. Andra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala , Gujarat , Maharashtra and Lakshadweep have important wind farms

3. Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer are very famous for the effective use of wind energy in India

Write a short note on Biogas

1. It is generated by the decomposition of organic matter like shrubs , farm waste , animal and human waste

2. It has higher thermal efficiency than kerosene and charcoal.

3. Biogas plants are setup by both government and individuals

4. Biogas plants are also known as gobar gas plants in INdia

Write a short note on Tidal energy

1. The energy generated by the movement of oceanic tides can be used to generate electricity.

2. To produce electricity , floodgate dams are built across inlets , the water enters into the inlet during high tide and gets trapped when the gates are closed.

3. When the tide falls outside the floodgate , the water retained inside the gate flows back to the sea through a pipe that carries it through a power generating turbine.

4. In India , the Gulf of Khambhat , the Gulf of Kutch , Gangetic delta provide ideal conditions for tidal energy.

Write a short note on Geothermal energy.

1. It refers to heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the interior of the Earth.

2. Geothermal energy exits as the earth grows hotter with increase in depth,

3. Groundwater present in the areas where the geothermal gradient is high rises up as steam.
   This steam is used to drive turbines for the generation of electricity.

4. Parvati valley and Puga valley are two experimental projects to produce geothermal energy.

Write a short note on conservation of energy resources.

1. Using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles

2. Switching off electrical appliances when not in use

3. Using power saving devices

4. Using renewable and non conventional sources of energy