Mineral and Power Resources Flashcards
What are minerals?
Minerals are naturally occuring substances found in the earth’s crust.
How many minerals are there on the surface of the earth?
While there are nearly 3000 minerals on the surface of the earth, just ten of them make up about 90% of the minerals found in the crust.
What are the most commonly available minerals?
Silicates like feldspar and quartz(built from silicon and oxygen) are the most commonly available, followed by aluminium, iron, calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium.
Why is the extraction of most minerals not profitable?
Minerals are rarely found in pure state. They are usually found in rocks or combined with other elements. Most minerals are found in such low concentration/inaccesible place that their extraction becomes too expensive or difficult to be profitable.
What is an ore?
A rock which contains enough mineral to make it economically viable for mining is known as an ore.
How are ores classified?
High grade and low grade ores. High grade ores have high mineral content and impurities are less whereas low grade ores have low mineral content and more impurities.
What is open-cast mining?
Minerals that lie near the surface are simply dug out of the ground through open-cast mining. The opening formed is called open pit/quarry.
What is shaft mining?
Deep bores, called shafts have to be made to reach mineral deposits that lie at great depths below the Earth’s surface. This is shaft mining.
What is drilling?
Petroleum and natural gas occur far below the earth’s surface. Deep wells are bored/drilled to take them out.
What are the types of iron-ore found in India?
Haematite and magnetite.
What is iron-ore used for?
Making steel, building ships and in the construction industry.
Where is iron-ore found in India?
Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra etc.
What is bauxite?
Bauxite is the ore of the metal aluminium.
What are the uses of aluminium?
Aluminium is used to manufacture aircrafts and automobiles. It is also used in the industries of construction, fittings and furniture, kitchenware etc.
Give examples of bauxite producers.
Odisha is the largest producer of bauxite in India, Other bauxite producing areas - Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
Who is the largest producer and exporter of mica?
India is the largest producer and exporter of mica.
Mention one special property of mica, and which industries mica is used in.
Mica can be ripped into very thin and flexible but tough sheets. It is used in the electrical and electronic industries.
Where are mica deposits found in India?
Jharkhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan
Mention one special property of copper, and the uses of copper.
Copper is a good conductor of electricity. Copper is used in making wires, electric motors, transformers and generators. Copper was used used to make coins in the olden times. It was also added to gold to provide strength to jewellery.
Where is copper produced in India?
Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh.
Mention 3 uses of manganese.
Manganese is an important raw material for smelting of iron-ore. It is used to make ferro-alloys. It is also used in the iron and steel industries since it helps add strength to the steel.
Where are manganese deposits found in India?
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telengana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh.
Mention one use of limestone. Where is limestone produced in India?
Limestone is a major raw material for the cement industry. It is produced in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu.
Mention the uses of gold. Where are gold deposits found in India?
Gold is used in making jewellery. Precious jems, pearls, diamonds etc are set in various styles using gold. It is also used in scientific experiments. Gold deposits in India are Kolar and Hutti in Karnataka.
