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Book: India — People and Economy | Unit-III | Chapter 5
Mineral and Energy Resources
1. Learning Objectives
After reading these notes, you will be able to:
1
Understand mineral types and their characteristics.2
Know the three major mineral belts of India and key mineral distributions.3
Learn about conventional energy resources — coal, petroleum, natural gas.4
Understand non-conventional energy sources and mineral conservation.2. Types of Mineral Resources
A mineral is a natural substance of organic or inorganic origin with definite chemical and physical properties. India is endowed with a rich variety due to its varied geological structure — most valuable minerals are of pre-Palaeozoic age, associated with metamorphic/igneous rocks of peninsular India. The alluvial plains of North India are largely devoid of economic minerals.
🗂️ Classification of Minerals
Minerals
Metallic — Ferrous
Iron, Manganese
Iron, Manganese
Metallic — Non-Ferrous
Copper, Bauxite
Copper, Bauxite
Non-Metallic — Fuel
Coal, Petroleum
Coal, Petroleum
Non-Metallic — Other
Mica, Limestone, Graphite
Mica, Limestone, Graphite
- Ferrous minerals contain iron (e.g., iron ore itself); non-ferrous do not (e.g., copper, bauxite).
- Non-metallic minerals are either organic/fossil fuels (coal, petroleum) or inorganic (mica, limestone, graphite).
- Key characteristics: unevenly distributed over space; inverse relationship between quality and quantity (good quality = less quantity); all minerals are exhaustible — they cannot be replenished quickly, so must be conserved.
3. Distribution of Minerals in India
Most metallic minerals occur in the peninsular plateau region in old crystalline rocks. Over 97% of coal reserves lie in the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari valleys. Petroleum occurs in sedimentary basins of Assam, Gujarat and Mumbai High. Most major mineral resources lie east of a line linking Mangaluru and Kanpur.
🏔️ North-Eastern Plateau Belt
Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand), Odisha Plateau, West Bengal, parts of Chhattisgarh. Rich & diversified: iron ore, coal, manganese, bauxite, mica.
🌴 South-Western Plateau Belt
Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu uplands, Kerala. Rich in ferrous metals & bauxite, high-grade iron ore, manganese, limestone; lacks coal (except Neyveli lignite).
🏜️ North-Western Region
Along Aravali (Rajasthan) & Gujarat, linked to Dharwar rocks. Copper, zinc major minerals; Rajasthan rich in building stones (sandstone, granite, marble), gypsum; Gujarat known for petroleum & salt.
⛰️ Himalayan Belt
Copper, lead, zinc, cobalt, tungsten on both eastern and western parts. Assam valley has mineral oil deposits; offshore oil also near Mumbai (Mumbai High).
4. Ferrous Minerals
🪨 Iron Ore
- India has the largest iron ore reserve in Asia; two main types: haematite and magnetite.
- ~95% of reserves in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu.
- Key mines: Gurumahisani, Badampahar (Odisha); Noamundi, Gua (Jharkhand); Dalli-Rajhara (Chhattisgarh); Sandur-Hospet, Kudremukh (Karnataka); Bailadila (Chhattisgarh belt).
⚫ Manganese
- Key raw material for smelting iron and making ferro alloys; associated mainly with Dharwar system.
- Leading producers: Madhya Pradesh and Odisha — MP belt in Balaghat-Chhindwara-Nimar-Mandla-Jhabua; Odisha mines in Bonai, Kendujhar, Sundergarh.
- Other producers: Karnataka, Maharashtra (Nagpur, Bhandara); Telangana, Goa, Jharkhand are minor producers.
5. Non-Ferrous & Non-Metallic Minerals
India is poorly endowed with non-ferrous metallic minerals, except bauxite.
| Mineral | Use / Notes | Leading Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Bauxite | Ore for aluminium; found in tertiary/laterite deposits. | Odisha (largest producer — Kalahandi, Sambalpur), Jharkhand, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, M.P., Maharashtra |
| Copper | Used in electrical wires, motors, transformers; alloyable & ductile. | Singhbhum (Jharkhand), Balaghat (M.P.), Jhunjhunu & Alwar (Rajasthan) |
| Mica | Used in electrical/electronic industries; splits into thin, flexible sheets. | Jharkhand (Hazaribagh belt — high quality), Andhra Pradesh (Nellore — best quality), Rajasthan (Jaipur–Bhilwara–Udaipur belt) |
📌 Other Non-Metallic Minerals
Limestone, dolomite and phosphate are extracted mainly for local/domestic consumption (e.g. cement industry).6. Conventional Energy Resources
Mineral fuels — coal, petroleum, natural gas (fossil fuels) and nuclear energy minerals — are conventional, exhaustible sources of energy essential for agriculture, industry and transport.
⚫ Coal
- Occurs in two geological ages: Gondwana and Tertiary deposits; ~80% is bituminous, non-coking grade.
- Largest Gondwana coalfields: Jharkhand-Bengal belt — Jharia (largest), Raniganj, Bokaro, Giridih, Karanpura.
- Other centres: Singrauli (M.P./U.P.), Korba (Chhattisgarh), Talcher (Odisha), Chanda-Wardha (Maharashtra), Singareni (Telangana).
- Tertiary coal: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland. Lignite (brown coal): coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Gujarat, J&K.
🛢️ Petroleum
- Occurs in tertiary sedimentary rocks; called “liquid gold” for its scarcity and diverse uses (fertiliser, synthetic rubber/fibre, medicines, wax, cosmetics).
- Systematic exploration began after ONGC was set up in 1956. Earlier, only Digboi (Assam) produced oil.
- Major areas: Digboi, Naharkatiya, Moran (Assam); Ankaleshwar, Kalol, Mehsana (Gujarat); Mumbai High (discovered 1973, production from 1976); new finds in Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.
- Refineries: field-based (e.g., Digboi) and market-based (e.g., Barauni).
🔥 Natural Gas
- Found with petroleum; used for power generation, heating, chemical/fertiliser industries, and as CNG (transport) / PNG (cooking).
- Major reserves: Mumbai High and allied west coast fields, Cambay basin; new finds in Krishna-Godavari basin (east coast).
7. Non-Conventional Energy Sources
Renewable sources — solar, wind, hydro-geothermal, biomass, nuclear — are more equitably distributed and environment-friendly, offering sustained, eco-friendly energy after initial setup costs.
| Source | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Nuclear Energy | Uses uranium (Dharwar rocks — Singhbhum, Udaipur, Alwar, Jhunjhunu) & thorium (monazite/ilmenite sands of Kerala, Tamil Nadu). Atomic Energy Commission (1948); BARC established 1954, renamed 1967. Plants: Tarapur, Rawatbhata, Kalpakkam, Narora, Kaiga, Kakarapara. |
| Solar Energy | Tapped via photovoltaic cells; ~7% more effective than coal/oil plants, ~10% more than nuclear. Best potential in Gujarat & Rajasthan. |
| Wind Energy | Pollution-free, inexhaustible; converts kinetic energy via turbines. Favourable in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka. |
| Tidal & Wave Energy | Large tidal waves occur along India’s west coast — great potential, largely unutilised so far. |
| Geothermal Energy | Heat from Earth’s magma/hot springs converted to electricity. India’s geothermal plant: Manikaran, Himachal Pradesh. |
| Bio-energy | From agricultural residues, municipal/industrial waste — converts to electricity, heat, or cooking gas. Example: Okhla, Delhi (municipal waste-to-energy). |
8. Conservation of Mineral Resources
- Sustainable development requires balancing economic growth with environmental protection — traditional resource use generates waste and environmental problems.
- Alternative/renewable energy (solar, wind, wave, geothermal) should replace exhaustible resources.
- For metallic minerals, recycling scrap metal is important — especially for copper, lead and zinc, where India’s reserves are meagre.
- Substitutes for scarce metals can reduce consumption; export of strategic/scarce minerals should be reduced to extend reserve life.
Summary — Quick Revision
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Mineral Types: Metallic (ferrous/non-ferrous) and Non-metallic (fuel/other) — all exhaustible.
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3 Mineral Belts: NE Plateau (diverse — iron, coal, manganese, bauxite), SW Plateau (ferrous & bauxite), NW Region (copper, zinc, building stones).
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Iron Ore: Largest reserve in Asia; 95% in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, A.P., Tamil Nadu.
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Non-Ferrous: Bauxite (Odisha leads), Copper (Jharkhand, M.P., Rajasthan) — India poorly endowed otherwise.
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Coal: Gondwana (Jharia largest) & Tertiary deposits; 97% reserves in Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi, Godavari valleys.
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Petroleum: Assam, Gujarat, Mumbai High; ONGC (1956) expanded exploration.
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Non-Conventional: Nuclear (uranium/thorium), Solar (Gujarat/Rajasthan), Wind, Tidal, Geothermal (Manikaran), Bio-energy.
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Conservation: Recycling scrap metals, substitutes, reduced export of scarce minerals.
Important Terms to Remember
- Mineral: A natural substance with definite chemical and physical properties.
- Ferrous Mineral: Contains iron content (e.g., iron ore, manganese, chromite).
- Non-Ferrous Mineral: Does not contain iron (e.g., copper, bauxite).
- Haematite / Magnetite: The two main types of iron ore found in India.
- Fossil Fuels: Mineral fuels formed from buried plant/animal remains — coal, petroleum, natural gas.
- Field-based Refinery: A petroleum refinery located near the oilfield (e.g., Digboi).
- Market-based Refinery: A refinery located near the consumption market (e.g., Barauni).
- Non-Conventional Energy: Renewable sources like solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, bio-energy.
- Monazite: A mineral sand source of thorium, found along Kerala/Tamil Nadu coasts.