Chapter 5 Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10 Notes

What is a mineral?
A mineral is defined as a “homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal
structure.”
Mode of occurrence of minerals
Minerals are usually found in “ores”.
Ore is an accumulation of any mineral mixed with other elements.
Minerals generally occur in the following forms:
 In igneous and metamorphic rocks, minerals may occur in the cracks, crevices, faults or
joints.
 In sedimentary rocks, a number of minerals occur in beds or layers.
 The decomposition of surface rocks and the removal of soluble constituents also form the
minerals.
 Minerals also occur as alluvial deposits in the sands of valley floors and the base of hills.
 The ocean waters contain vast quantities of minerals.
Classification of Minerals
(containing iron)
Ferrous
E.g: iron ore, manganese, nickel, cobalt, etc.
Metallic
Non-ferrous E.g: copper, lead, tin, bauxite, etc.
Mineral
s Precious E.g: Gold, silver, platinum, etc.
Non Metallic Mica, salt, potash, sulphur, granite, limestone, marble, sandstone, etc
Energy Minerals Coal, petroleum, natural gas
- Ferrous Minerals
Iron Ore
1. Magnetite: finest iron ore with a very high content of iron, up to 70%. It has excellent
magnetic qualities.
2. Hematite: most important industrial iron ore. It contains 50 to 60% iron.
Major iron ore belts in India:
 Odisha-Jharkhand belt
 Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt
 Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru belt
 Maharashtra-Goa belt
Manganese
1. Mainly used in the manufacturing of steel and ferro-manganese alloy.
2. Close to 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture 1 tonne of steel.
3. Used in manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides and paints.
- Non Ferrous Minerals
Used in metallurgical, engineering and electrical industries.
Copper
1. Malleable, ductile and good conductor of heat and electricity.
2. Mainly used in electrical cables, electronics and chemical industries.
3. Major Copper belts in India: The Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, the Khetri mines in
Rajasthan and the Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
Bauxite
1. Bauxite deposits are formed by the decomposition of a wide variety of rocks rich in
aluminium silicates.
 2. Aluminium is obtained from bauxite. Aluminium has good conductivity and great
malleability.
3. Deposits are mainly found in the Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills and the plateau region of
Bilaspur-Katni.
- Non-Metallic Minerals
1. Mica: mineral made up of a series of plates or leaves.
2. It can be clear, black, green, red, yellow or brown.
3. Mica is the most crucial mineral used in the electric and electronic industries.
4. It has excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties and
resistance to high voltage.
5. Mica deposits are found on the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur plateau.
Rock Minerals
1. Limestone: found in rocks composed of calcium carbonates or calcium and magnesium
carbonates.
2. Basic raw material for the cement industry and essential for smelting iron ore in the blast
furnace.
Conservation of Minerals
Minerals are a type of resource that cannot be replaced or renewed.
It takes a very long time, often thousands of years, for minerals to form and gather in one place. If
we keep extracting minerals without thinking about the consequences, we will eventually run out of
them.
That's why it's crucial to take appropriate measures and use mineral resources in a careful and
sustainable way, planning for the future.
Energy Resources
- Coal
- Petroleum
Conventional
- Natural Gas
- Electricity
- Nuclear or Atomic Energy
- Solar Energy
- Wind power
Non-Conventional
- Biogas
- Tidal Energy
- Geo Thermal Energy
Conventional Sources of Energy
- Coal
1. Most abundantly available fossil fuel.
2. Used for power generation, to supply energy to the industry as well as for domestic needs.
3. Lignite: low-grade brown coal, which is soft with high moisture content.
4. Bituminous: been buried deep and subjected to increased temperatures.
5. Anthracite: highest quality of hard coal.
6. Major areas: Jharia, Raniganj, and Bokaro are important coalfields.
- Petroleum
1. Provides fuel for heat and lighting, lubricants for machinery and raw materials for a number
of manufacturing industries.
2. Petroleum refineries are like “nodal industry” for synthetic textile, fertiliser and numerous
chemical industries.
3. Major areas: Mumbai High, Gujarat and Assam are major petroleum production areas in
India.

- Natural Gas
1. Clean energy resource and environment-friendly fuel.
2. Mainly used in the power and fertiliser industries.
3. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG ) is used in vehicles to replace liquid fuels.
4. Large reserves of natural gas have been discovered in the Krishna-Godavari basin.
- Electricity
1. Hydro-electricity generated by running water which drives hydro turbines.
2. It is a renewable resource of energy.
3. India has a number of multi-purpose projects like the Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley
Corporation, the Kopili Hydel Project.
4. Thermal Power generated by burning other fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas
to drive turbines.
5. It uses non-renewable fossil fuels for generating electricity.

Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

Renewable energy sources
- Nuclear or Atomic Energy
Atoms can be changed to release a lot of heat energy, which is used to generate electricity.
Uranium and Thorium, found in Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Kerala's Monazite sands, are used to
produce atomic or nuclear power.
- Solar Energy
India, being a tropical country, has great potential for harnessing solar energy.
Through photovoltaic technology, sunlight is directly converted into electricity. Solar energy is
increasingly being adopted in rural and remote areas.
Large-scale solar power plants are being set up across India to reduce the reliance on firewood
and dung cakes in rural households. This shift will not only contribute to environmental
conservation but also ensure an adequate supply of manure for agriculture.

- Wind power
India has vast potential for wind power generation. The largest cluster of wind farms stretches
from Nagarcoil to Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
Other states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Lakshadweep
also have significant wind farms.
Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer are well-known for effectively utilising wind energy in the country.
- Biogas
In rural areas, organic waste like shrubs, farm waste, animal dung, and human waste is used to
make biogas for homes.
This gas is a better fuel than kerosene, dung cakes, or charcoal. Biogas plants are set up at
different levels - municipal, cooperative, and individual.
In rural India, biogas plants using cattle dung are called "Gobar gas plants."

They benefit farmers by providing energy and improving the quality of manure.
Biogas production from cattle dung is an efficient and eco-friendly way to utilise it, improving
manure quality and avoiding the need to burn trees and dung cakes.
- Tidal Energy
Oceanic tides can be harnessed to produce electricity. Floodgate dams are constructed across
inlets.
When the tide is high, water enters the inlet and is trapped when the gate is closed. As the tide
recedes outside the floodgate, the trapped water flows back to the sea through a pipe fitted with a
power-generating turbine.
In India, the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kuchchh in Gujarat, and the Gangetic delta in the
Sunderban regions of West Bengal offer suitable conditions for utilising tidal energy. These areas
provide opportunities to tap into the power of tides and generate clean and renewable electricity.
- GeoThermal Energy
Geothermal energy utilises heat from the Earth's interior to generate electricity.
As the Earth gets hotter with increasing depth, high temperatures are found at shallow depths in
areas with a high geothermal gradient.
Groundwater absorbs heat from rocks, becoming hot and turning into steam when it reaches the
surface.
This steam is used to power turbines and produce electricity. India has several hundred hot
springs that can be used for generating electricity.
Experimental projects in the Parvati valley in Himachal Pradesh and the Puga Valley in Ladakh
are harnessing geothermal energy.
Conservation of Energy Resources
As the demand for energy increases, there is a pressing need to develop a sustainable approach.
There is a need for promoting energy conservation and utilising renewable energy sources.
 Use public transport
 Turn off electricity when not needed
 Use energy-saving devices
 Explore Non-conventional energy sources