Ch 5 - Minerals and Energy Resources (Geography)

Q1. Minerals are an indispensable part of our lives.

Ans 1.
a. Almost everything we use, from a tiny pin to a towering building or a big ship, all are
made from minerals.
b. The railway lines and the tarmac (paving) of the roads, our implements and machinery
too are made from minerals. Cars, buses, trains, aeroplanes are manufactured from
minerals and run on power resources derived from the earth.
c. Even the food that we eat contains minerals. In all stages of development, human beings
have used minerals for their livelihood, decoration, festivities, religious and ceremonial
rites.

Q2. Which minerals are present in toothpaste?

Ans 2.
a. Abrasive minerals like silica, limestone, aluminium oxide and various phosphate
minerals do the cleaning.
b. Fluoride, which is used to reduce cavities, comes from a mineral fluorite.
c. Most toothpastes are made white with titanium oxide, which comes from minerals called
rutile, ilmenite and anatase.
d. The sparkle in some toothpastes comes from mica.
e. The toothbrush and tube containing the paste are made of plastics from petroleum.

Q3. Why do all living things need minerals?

Ans 3. All living things need minerals, as life processes cannot occur without minerals. Although
our mineral intake represents only about 0.3 % of our total intake of nutrients, they are so
potent and so important that without them we would not be able to utilise the other 99.7 % of
foodstuffs.

Q4. Define Minerals.

Ans 4. Minerals are defined as homogenous, naturally occurring substances with a definable
internal structure, by geologists. Hardest mineral - diamond; Softest mineral - talc. Over 2000
minerals have been identified.

Q5. Define Rocks.

Ans 5. Rocks are defined as combinations of homogeneous substances called minerals. Some
rocks, like limestone, consist of a single mineral only, but the majority of the rock consists of
several minerals in varying proportions. Only a few minerals are abundantly found in most of
the rocks.

Q6. What are the factors on which a particular mineral is formed?

Ans 6. A particular mineral that will be formed from a certain combination of elements depends
upon the physical and chemical conditions under which the material forms. This forms minerals
in a wide range of colours, hardness, crystal forms, lustre and density.

Q7. How do geographers and geologists differ in their study on minerals?

Ans 7. Geographers study the distribution of mineral resources and associated economic
activities and study minerals as part of the earth’s crust for a better understanding of
landforms.
A geologist is interested in the formation of minerals, their age and physical and chemical
composition.
Q8. Define Ore.
Ans 8. An ore is defined as an accumulation of any mineral content in sufficient concentration
having a commercially viable extraction, mixed with other elements.

Q9. Describe the main types of formations in which minerals occur.

Ans 9. Minerals generally occur in these forms:
a. In igneous and metamorphic rocks, minerals may occur in the cracks, crevices, faults or
joints. The smaller occurrences are called veins and the larger are called lodes. In most
cases, they are formed when minerals in liquid/molten and gaseous forms are forced
upward through cavities towards the earth’s surface. They cool and solidify as they rise.
Eg. Metallic minerals like tin, copper, zinc, lead, etc.
b. In sedimentary rocks a number of minerals occur in beds or layers. They have been
formed as a result of deposition, accumulation and concentration in horizontal strata.
Coal and some forms of iron ore have been concentrated as a result of long periods under
great heat and pressure. Another group of sedimentary minerals are formed as a result of
evaporation especially in arid regions, eg. gypsum, potash salt, sodium salt, etc.
c. Decomposition of surface rocks and the removal of soluble constituents, leaving a
residual mass of weathered material containing ores is also another form. Eg. Bauxite.
d. Certain minerals may occur as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of
hills. These deposits are called ‘placer deposits’ and generally contain minerals, which are
not corroded by water. Gold, silver, tin and platinum are most important among such
minerals.
e. The ocean waters contain vast quantities of minerals, but most of these are too widely
diffused to be of economic significance. However, common salt, magnesium and bromine
are largely derived from ocean waters. The ocean beds, too, are rich in manganese
nodules.

Q10. What is Rat-Hole-Mining?

Ans 10. Most of the minerals in India are nationalised and their extraction is possible only after
obtaining due permission from the government. But in most of the tribal areas of north-east
India, minerals are owned by individuals or communities. In Meghalaya, there are large deposits
of coal, iron ore, limestone and dolomite etc. Coal mining in Jowai and Cherapunjee is done by a
family member in the form of a long narrow tunnel, known as ‘Rat hole’ mining. The National
Green Tribunal has declared such activities illegal and recommended that these should be
stopped forthwith.

Q11. Explain with the help of examples how minerals are unevenly distributed in the country.
Ans 11. India is fortunate to have fairly rich and varied mineral resources. However, these are
unevenly distributed. These variations exist largely because of the differences in the geological
structure, processes and time involved in the formation of minerals.
a. Peninsular rocks contain most of the reserves of coal, metallic minerals, mica and many
other non-metallic minerals.
b. Sedimentary rocks on the western and eastern flanks of the peninsula.
c. Gujarat and Assam have most of the petroleum deposits.
d. Rajasthan has rock systems of the peninsula and reserves of many non-ferrous minerals.
e. The vast alluvial plains of north India are almost devoid of economic minerals.
Q12. What is a mine?
Ans 12. The concentration of minerals in the ore, the ease of extraction and closeness to the
market play an important role in affecting the economic viability of a reserve. Thus, to meet the
demand, when a choice is made between a number of possible options, a mineral ‘deposit’ or
‘reserve’ is called a mine.

Q13. Differentiate between ferrous and non ferrous minerals.

OR Classify minerals on the basis of the metallic content and differentiate between them. Give
examples of each.
Ans 13.
a. Ferrous minerals:
i. Ferrous minerals are metallic minerals that contain iron as a major component.
ii. Out of the total value of the production of metallic minerals, around three-fourths are
accounted for by Ferrous minerals.
iii. For the development of metallurgical industries, a strong base is provided by Ferrous
minerals.
iv. After meeting the internal demands of India, substantial quantities of ferrous minerals
are exported by India. Iron ore and Manganese are examples of ferrous minerals.
v. Eg. Iron Ores, Manganese, Nickel, Cobalt, etc.
b. Non-Ferrous Minerals:
i. Non-ferrous minerals are metallic minerals that do not contain iron.
ii. The production and reserves of non-ferrous minerals in India are not up to
expectations.
iii. Some examples of non-ferrous minerals are gold, zinc, lead, bauxite, and copper.
iv. These non-ferrous minerals play a vital role in the electrical, engineering, and
metallurgical industries.
v. Eg. Copper, Bauxite, Lead, Tin, Zinc, Gold, etc.

Q14. Explain Iron Ore and its different types.

Ans 14. Iron ore is the basic mineral and the backbone of industrial development. India is
endowed with fairly abundant resources of iron ore. India is rich in good quality iron ores.
a. Magnetite is the finest iron ore with a very high content of iron up to 70 %. It has
excellent magnetic qualities, especially valuable in the electrical industry.
b. Hematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of the quantity used, but
has a slightly lower iron content than magnetite. (50-60 %).
In 2018–19 almost the entire production of iron ore (97%) accrued from Odisha, Chhattisgarh,
Karnataka and Jharkhand. The remaining production (3%) was from other states.

Q15. Explain the major iron ore belts in India.

Ans 15. The major iron ore belts in India are:
a. Odisha-Jharkhand belt: In Odisha high grade hematite ore is found in Badampahar mines
in the Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts. In the adjoining Singbhum district of
Jharkhand haematite iron ore is mined in Gua and Noamundi.
b. Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt lies in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Very high grade
hematites are found in the famous Bailadila range of hills in the Bastar district of
Chhattisgarh. The range of hills comprises of 14 deposits of super high grade hematite
iron ore. It has the best physical properties needed for steel making. Iron ore from these
mines is exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam port.
 c. Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru belt in Karnataka has large reserves of
iron ore. The Kudremukh mines located in the Western Ghats of Karnataka are a 100%
export unit. Kudremukh deposits are known to be one of the largest in the world. The ore
is transported as slurry through a pipeline to a port near Mangaluru.
d. Maharashtra-Goa belt includes the state of Goa and Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
Though, the ores are not of very high quality, yet they are efficiently exploited. Iron ore is
exported through Marmagao port.

Q16. Why is Kudre peak and Bailadila hills given their names so?
Ans 16. Kudre, the highest peak in the western ghats of Karnataka, resembles the face of a horse.
In Kannada, it means horse. The Bailadila hills look like the hump of an ox, and hence its name.

Q17. How is Manganese used?

Ans 17. Manganese is mainly used in the manufacturing of steel and ferro-manganese alloy.
Nearly 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture one tonne of steel. It is also used in
manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides and paints. Its production is mostly in Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, etc.

Q18. Briefly explain the uses of copper, bauxite, mica and limestone and also name the leading /
largest producers of each.
Ans 18.
a. COPPER:
i. Copper is a non ferrous mineral.
ii. India is critically deficient in the reserve and production of copper.
iii. Being malleable, ductile and a good conductor, copper is mainly used in electrical
cables, electronics and chemical industries.
iv. The Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, Khetri mines in Rajasthan and Singhbhum
district of Jharkhand are leading producers of copper.

b. BAUXITE:
i. Bauxite is a non ferrous mineral.
ii. Though, several ores contain aluminium, it is from bauxite, a clay-like substance that
alumina and later aluminium is obtained.
iii. Bauxite deposits are formed by the decomposition of a wide variety of rocks rich in
aluminium silicates.
iv. Aluminium is an important metal because it combines the strength of metals such as
iron, with extreme lightness and also with good conductivity and great malleability.
v. India’s bauxite deposits are mainly found in the Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills and
the plateau region of Bilaspur-Katni.
vi. Odisha was the largest bauxite producing state in India in 2016-17. Panchpatmali
deposits in Koraput district are the most important bauxite deposits in the state.

c. MICA:
i. Mica is a non metallic mineral made up of a series of plates or leaves.
ii. It splits easily into thin sheets. These sheets can be so thin that a thousand can be
layered into a mica sheet a few centimetres high.
iii. Mica can be clear, black, green, red, yellow or brown.
iv. Due to its excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties
and resistance to high voltage, mica is one of the most indispensable minerals used in
electric and electronic industries.
 v. Mica deposits are found in the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur plateau. Koderma
Gaya – Hazaribagh belt of Jharkhand is the leading producer. In Rajasthan, the major
mica producing area is around Ajmer. Nellore mica belt of Andhra Pradesh is also an
important producer in the country.

d. LIMESTONE:
i. Limestone is a rock mineral.
ii. It is found in association with rocks composed of calcium carbonates or calcium and
magnesium carbonates.
iii. It is found in sedimentary rocks of most geological formations.
iv. Limestone is the basic raw material for the cement industry and essential for smelting
iron ore in the blast furnace.
v. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, etc. are important
limestone producers in the country.

Q19. How does mining adversely affect the environment and the health of miners?
Ans 19. The dust and noxious fumes inhaled by miners make them vulnerable to pulmonary
diseases. The risk of collapsing mine roofs, inundation and fires in coal mines are a constant
threat to miners.

Q20. Why is there a need to conserve minerals? Suggest some measures to conserve them.
Ans 20.
Need to conserve minerals:
a. The total volume of workable mineral deposits is an insignificant fraction i.e. 1% of the
earth’s crust. We are rapidly consuming mineral resources that require millions of years
to be created and concentrated.
b. The geological processes of mineral formation are so slow that the rates of replenishment
are infinitely small in comparison to the present rates of consumption. Mineral resources
are, therefore, finite and non-renewable.
c. Rich mineral deposits are our country’s extremely valuable but short-lived possessions.
Continued extraction of ores leads to increasing costs as mineral extraction comes from
greater depths along with decrease in quality.
Measures to conserve minerals:
a. Improved technologies need to be constantly evolved to allow use of low grade ores at
low costs.
b. Recycling of metals, using scrap metals and other substitutes are steps in conserving our
mineral resources for the future.

Q21. Differentiate between conventional and non-conventional energy resources.

OR Classify Energy Resources and explain.
Ans 21. Energy resources can be classified as conventional and non-conventional sources.
a. Conventional Energy Resources:
i. Conventional Energy Resources are the resources that were used in the ancient times.
ii. They are non-renewable, i.e., they will exhaust after a certain period of time.
iii. They are not environmentally feasible.
iv. Eg. Firewood, cattle dung cake, coal, petroleum, natural gas and electricity (both hydel
and thermal).
 b. Non-Conventional Energy Resources:
i. Non conventional energy resources are the resources that are used in the modern
times.
ii. They are renewable, i.e., they will not exhaust till a long time.
iii. They are environmentally feasible.
iv. Eg. Solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas and atomic energy.

Q22. What are the disadvantaged uses of firewood and cattle dung?
Ans 22. Firewood and cattle dung cake are most common in rural India. According to one
estimate more than 70 % energy requirement in rural households is met by these two. However,
a. Continuation of firewood is increasingly becoming difficult due to decreasing forest area.
b. Using dung cake is being discouraged because it consumes the most valuable manure
which could be used in agriculture.

Q23. How is coal formed, and used in India?

Ans 23. Coal is formed due the compression of plant material over millions of years. In India,
coal is the most abundantly available fossil fuel. It provides a substantial part of the nation’s
energy needs. It is used for power generation, to supply energy to industry as well as for
domestic needs. India is highly dependent on coal for meeting its commercial energy
requirements.

Q24. What are the different forms of coal?

Ans 24. Coal is found in various forms depending on the degrees of compression and the depth
and time of burial.
a. Peat- Decaying plants in swamps produce peat, which has a low carbon and high
moisture contents and low heating capacity.
b. Lignite- It is a low grade brown coal, which is soft with high moisture content. The
principal lignite reserves are in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu and are used for generation of
electricity.
c. Bituminous Coal- Coal that has been buried deep and subjected to increased
temperatures is bituminous coal. It is the most popular coal in commercial use.
(Metallurgical coal is high grade bituminous coal which has a special value for smelting
iron in blast furnaces).
d. Anthracite- It is the highest quality hard coal.

Q25. What are the rock series of two main geological ages in which coal occurs?
Ans 25. In India coal occurs in rock series of two main geological ages:
a. Gondwana- It is a little over 200 million years in age. The major resources of Gondwana
coal, which are metallurgical coal, are located in Damodar valley (West Bengal-
Jharkhand). Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro are important coalfields. The Godavari, Mahanadi,
Son and Wardha valleys also contain coal deposits.
b. Tertiary coals- They are only about 55 million years old. They occur in the north eastern
states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

Q26. Why are heavy industries and thermal power stations located on or near the coalfields?
Ans 26. It is because coal is a bulky material, which loses weight on use as it is reduced to ash.
Q27. Why is petroleum important?
OR Petroleum refineries act as a “nodal industry” for various industries. Comment.
Ans 27. Petroleum or mineral oil is the next major energy source in India after coal. It provides
fuel for heat and lighting, lubricants for machinery and raw materials for a number of
manufacturing industries. Petroleum refineries act as a “nodal industry” for synthetic textile,
fertiliser and numerous chemical industries.

Q28. Where is Petroleum found?

Ans 28. Most of the petroleum occurrences in India are associated with anticlines and fault traps
in the rock formations of the tertiary age.
Occurrences-
a. In regions of folding, anticlines or domes, it occurs where oil is trapped in the crest of the
upfold. The oil bearing layer is a porous limestone or sandstone through which oil may
flow. The oil is prevented from rising or sinking by intervening non-porous layers.
b. It is also found in fault traps between porous and non-porous rocks. Gas, being lighter,
usually occurs above the oil.
Distribution-
c. i. Mumbai High, Gujarat and Assam are major petroleum production areas in India.
ii. Ankeleshwar is the most important field of Gujarat.
iii. Assam is the oldest oil producing state of India. Digboi, Naharkatiya and Moran-
Hugrijan are the important oil fields here.

Q29. How is natural gas used?

Ans 29. Natural gas can be used as a domestic and industrial fuel. It is used as fuel in the power
sector to generate electricity, for heating purposes in industries, as raw material in chemical,
petrochemical and fertiliser industries, as transport fuel and as cooking fuel. Types- With the
expansion of gas infrastructure and local city gas distribution (COD) networks, natural gas is
also emerging as a preferred transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG) at homes.

Q30. Where is natural gas found?

Ans 30. Natural Gas is found with petroleum deposits and is released when crude oil is brought
to the surface.
a. India’s major gas reserves are found in the Mumbai High and allied fields along the west
coast which are supplemented by finds in the Cambay basin.
b. Along the East Coast, new reserves of natural gas have been discovered in the Krishna-
Godavari basin.
c. The first 1,700 km long Hazira-VijaipurJagdishpur (HVJ) cross country gas pipeline,
constructed by GAIL (India), linked Mumbai High and Bassein gas fields with various
fertiliser, power and industrial complexes in western and northern India. This artery
provided impetus to Indian gas market development.
d. Overall, India’s gas infrastructure has expanded over ten times from 1,700 km to 18,500
km of cross-country pipelines and is expected to soon reach over 34, 000 km as Gas Grid
by linking all gas sources and consuming markets across the country including North
Eastern states.

Q31. How is electricity generated?

OR Differentiate between Hydro Electricity and Thermal Electricity.
Ans 31. Electricity has such a wide range of applications in today’s world that its per capita
consumption is considered as an index of development. Electricity is generated mainly in two
ways:
a. Hydro Electricity:
i. It is generated by running water which drives hydro turbines.
ii. It is generated by fast flowing water, which is a renewable resource.
iii. India has a number of multi-purpose projects like the Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley
corporation, the Kopili Hydel Project etc. producing hydroelectric power.
b. Thermal Power:
i. It is generated by burning other fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas to drive
turbines.
ii. Thermal power stations use non-renewable fossil fuels for generating electricity.

Q32. There is a pressing need to use renewable energy sources like solar energy, wind, tide,
biomass and energy from waste material. Explain.
Ans 32.
a. The growing consumption of energy has resulted in the country becoming increasingly
dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.
b. Rising prices of oil and gas and their potential shortages have raised uncertainties about
the security of energy supply in future, which in turn has serious repercussions on the
growth of the national economy.
c. Moreover, increasing use of fossil fuels also causes serious environmental problems.
Hence, there is a pressing need to use renewable energy sources like solar energy, wind, tide,
biomass and energy from waste material.

Q33. How is Nuclear or Atomic Energy obtained?

Ans 33.
a. Nuclear or Atomic Energy is obtained by altering the structure of atoms.
b. When such an alteration is made, much energy is released in the form of heat and this is
used to generate electric power.
c. Uranium and Thorium, which are available in Jharkhand and the Aravalli ranges of
Rajasthan are used for generating atomic or nuclear power. The Monazite sands of Kerala
are also rich in Thorium.
d. Six nuclear power stations in India are: Naraura, Rawat Bhata, Kakrapara, Tarapur, Kaiga
and Kalpakkam.

Q34. How will Solar Energy contribute to environmental conservation and adequate supply of
manure in agriculture?
OR “Solar energy is the energy of the future”. Justify the statement.
Ans 34.
a. India is a tropical country. It has enormous possibilities of tapping solar energy.
b. Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity.
c. Solar energy is fast becoming popular in rural and remote areas. Some big solar power
plants are being established in different parts of India which will minimise the
dependence of rural households on firewood and dung cakes.
This will thus contribute to environmental conservation and adequate supply of manure in
agriculture.
Q35. In which places is wind energy used in India?
Ans 35.
a. India has great potential of wind power. The largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil
Nadu from Nagarcoil to Madurai.
b. Apart from these, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra and
Lakshadweep have important wind farms.
c. Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer are well known for effective use of wind energy in the country.

Q36. How is biogas produced?

Ans 36. Shrubs, farm waste, animal and human waste are used to produce biogas for domestic
consumption in rural areas. Decomposition of organic matter yields gas, which has higher
thermal efficiency in comparison to kerosene, dung cake and charcoal. Biogas plants are set up
at municipal, cooperative and individual levels.

Q37. Gobar gas plants provide twin benefits to the farmer. Explain.
Ans 37. The plants using cattle dung , ‘Gobar gas plants’, provide twin benefits to the farmer in
the form of energy and improved quality of manure:
a. Biogas is by far the most efficient use of cattle dung. It improves the quality of manure.
b. It also prevents the loss of trees and manure due to burning of fuel wood and cow dung
cakes.

Q38. How is Tidal Energy generated? In which places in India can it be utilised?
Ans 38.
a. Oceanic tides can be used to generate electricity. Floodgate dams are built across inlets.
During high tide water flows into the inlet and gets trapped when the gate is closed.
b. After the tide falls outside the flood gate, the water retained by the floodgate flows back
to the sea via a pipe that carries it through a power-generating turbine.
c. In India the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kuchchh in Gujarat on the western coast and
Gangetic delta in Sunderban regions of West Bengal provide ideal conditions for utilising
tidal energy.

Q39. How is Geothermal Energy generated? In which places in India can it be utilised?
Ans 39.
a. Geothermal energy refers to the heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the
interior of the Earth. Geothermal energy exists because the Earth grows progressively
hotter with increasing depth.
b. Where the geothermal gradient is high, high temperatures are found at shallow depths.
Groundwater in such areas absorbs heat from the rocks and becomes hot. It is so hot that
when it rises to the earth’s surface, it turns into steam. This steam is used to drive
turbines and generate electricity.
c. There are several hundred hot springs in India, which could be used to generate
electricity. Two experimental projects have been set up in India to harness geothermal
energy. One is located in the Parvati valley near Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh and the
other is located in the Puga Valley, Ladakh.

Q40. There is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy development. Explain.
OR “Energy saved is energy produced”. Comment.
Ans 40.
a. Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Every sector of the national
economy – agriculture, industry, transport, commercial and domestic – needs inputs of
energy.
b. The economic development plans implemented since Independence necessarily required
increasing amounts of energy to remain operational. As a result, consumption of energy
in all forms has been steadily rising all over the country.
c. In this background, there is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy
development. Promotion of energy conservation and increased use of renewable energy
sources are the twin planks of sustainable energy.
d. India is presently one of the least energy efficient countries in the world. We have to
adopt a cautious approach for the judicious use of our limited energy resources.
e. Citizens can do our bit by using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles;
switching off electricity when not in use, using power-saving devices and using non-
conventional sources of energy. After all, “energy saved is energy produced”.

NOTE
After the discovery of aluminium Emperor Napoleon III wore buttons and hooks on his clothes
made of aluminium and served food to his more illustrious guests in aluminium utensils and the
less honourable ones were served in gold and silver utensils. Thirty years after this incident
aluminium bowls were most common with the beggars in Paris.