Mineral and Energy Resources, Class 12 Geography

What Mineral and Energy Resources is about

Weightage: India: People and Economy, Unit III: Resources and Development carries 10 of the 70 theory marks; this chapter shares them with Land Resources and Agriculture, Water Resources and Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context.Source: CBSE Geography (029) syllabus 2026-27, course structure

Key concepts

Types and characteristics of minerals

NCERT section Types of Mineral Resources

Classification (Fig. 5.1):

• Metallic minerals: sources of metals (iron ore, copper, gold).
• Ferrous: contain iron, e.g. iron ore, manganese, chromite.
• Non-ferrous: no iron, e.g. copper, bauxite.
• Non-metallic minerals:
• Organic (mineral or fossil fuels from buried plant and animal life): coal, petroleum.
• Inorganic: mica, limestone, graphite.

Characteristics:
1. Unevenly distributed over space.
2. Inverse relationship between quality and quantity: good-quality minerals are scarcer than low-quality ones.
3. Exhaustible: they take long to form geologically and cannot be replenished when needed; they have no 'second crop', so they must be conserved.

Worked example

State three characteristics of minerals. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Minerals are unevenly distributed over space.
2. There is an inverse relationship between quality and quantity: high-quality minerals are fewer than low-quality ones.
3. They are exhaustible: they take very long to form and cannot be replenished, so they must be conserved.

Answer: Uneven distribution, inverse quality-quantity relationship and exhaustibility.

Mineral belts of India

NCERT section Distribution of Minerals in India

General pattern: most metallic minerals occur in the peninsular plateau in old crystalline rocks; over 97 per cent of coal reserves are in the valleys of the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari; petroleum is in sedimentary basins of Assam, Gujarat and Mumbai High (offshore), with new finds in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins. Most major minerals lie east of a line from Mangaluru to Kanpur.

Three broad belts:
1. North-Eastern Plateau Region: Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand), Odisha plateau, West Bengal, parts of Chhattisgarh; a variety of minerals (iron ore, coal, manganese, bauxite, mica), which explains the major iron and steel industry here.
2. South-Western Plateau Region: Karnataka, Goa, contiguous Tamil Nadu uplands and Kerala; rich in ferrous metals and bauxite, high-grade iron ore, manganese, limestone; lacks coal except Neyveli lignite; less diverse than the north-east. Kerala has monazite, thorium, bauxite clay; Goa has iron ore.
3. North-Western Region: along the Aravali in Rajasthan and part of Gujarat, linked with the Dharwar system; copper, zinc; building stones (sandstone, granite, marble); gypsum, Fuller's earth; dolomite and limestone for cement; Gujarat has petroleum; both have salt.

Himalayan belt: copper, lead, zinc, cobalt, tungsten in east and west; Assam valley has mineral oil; offshore oil near Mumbai High.

Worked example

Describe the north-eastern plateau mineral belt. Why is the iron and steel industry concentrated here? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. The belt covers Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand), the Odisha plateau, West Bengal and parts of Chhattisgarh.
2. It has a variety of minerals: iron ore, coal, manganese, bauxite and mica.
3. Iron ore mines lie close to coalfields, so the raw materials of iron and steel are available together.

Answer: A diverse belt of iron ore, coal and manganese close together, ideal for iron and steel.

Ferrous minerals: iron ore and manganese

NCERT section Ferrous Minerals

Ferrous minerals (iron ore, manganese, chromite) give a strong base for metallurgical industries; India is well placed in reserves and production.

Iron ore:

• India has the largest reserve of iron ore in Asia; two main types: haematite and magnetite; in great international demand due to superior quality.
• Mines lie close to coalfields in the north-eastern plateau, an advantage.
• About 95 per cent of reserves are in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• Odisha: hill ranges of Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj and Jhar; mines: Gurumahisani, Sulaipet, Badampahar (Mayurbhanj), Kiruburu (Kendujhar), Bonai (Sundergarh).
• Jharkhand: oldest mines with iron and steel plants around them: Noamundi and Gua (Poorbi and Pashchimi Singhbhum); the belt extends to Durg, Dantewara and Bailadila; Dalli and Rajhara in Durg (Chhattisgarh).
• Karnataka: Sandur-Hospet area of Ballari, Baba Budan hills and Kudremukh (Chikkamagaluru), parts of Shivamogga, Chitradurg, Tumakuru.
• Others: Chandrapur, Bhandara and Ratnagiri (Maharashtra), Karimnagar and Warangal (Telangana), Kurnool, Cuddapah, Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh), Salem and Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu); Goa is an important producer.

Manganese:

• Raw material for smelting iron ore and making ferro alloys; found in many formations but mainly the Dharwar system.
• Leading producers: Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Odisha: Bonai, Kendujhar, Sundergarh, Gangpur, Koraput, Kalahandi, Bolangir (central iron ore belt). MP: Balaghat-Chhindwara-Nimar-Mandla-Jhabua belt.
• Karnataka: Dharwar, Ballari, Belagavi, North Canara, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Chitradurg, Tumakuru. Maharashtra: Nagpur, Bhandara, Ratnagiri (far from steel plants). Minor: Telangana, Goa, Jharkhand.

Worked example

Describe the distribution of iron ore in India. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. India has Asia's largest iron ore reserves (haematite and magnetite); about 95 per cent lie in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
2. Odisha: Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj and Jhar ranges; mines such as Badampahar, Gurumahisani, Kiruburu and Bonai.
3. Jharkhand: oldest mines (Noamundi, Gua in Singhbhum) with steel plants nearby; the belt extends to Bailadila, Dalli and Rajhara (Chhattisgarh).
4. Karnataka: Sandur-Hospet (Ballari), Baba Budan hills and Kudremukh (Chikkamagaluru).
5. Others: Ratnagiri, Chandrapur, Bhandara (Maharashtra), Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Goa; proximity to coalfields is an advantage.

Answer: Concentrated in the north-eastern and south-western plateau belts, led by Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.

Non-ferrous and non-metallic minerals: bauxite, copper, mica

NCERT section Non-Ferrous Minerals; Non-metallic Minerals

India is poorly endowed with non-ferrous minerals except bauxite.

Bauxite:

• The ore used to make aluminium; found in tertiary deposits, associated with laterite rocks on plateaus, hills and coastal tracts.
• Odisha is the largest producer: Kalahandi and Sambalpur lead; Bolangir and Koraput are rising.
• Jharkhand: patlands of Lohardaga. Gujarat: Bhavnagar, Jamnagar. Chhattisgarh: Amarkantak plateau. MP: Katni-Jabalpur and Balaghat. Maharashtra: Kolaba, Thane, Ratnagiri, Satara, Pune, Kolhapur. Minor: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa.

Copper:

• Indispensable in the electrical industry (wires, motors, transformers, generators); alloyable, malleable, ductile; mixed with gold to strengthen jewellery.
• Main deposits: Singhbhum (Jharkhand), Balaghat (MP), Jhunjhunu and Alwar (Rajasthan).
• Minor: Agnigundala (Guntur, AP), Chitradurg and Hasan (Karnataka), South Arcot (Tamil Nadu).

Mica (non-metallic):

• Used in electrical and electronic industries; splits into thin, tough, flexible sheets.
• Produced in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, then Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, MP.
• Jharkhand: high-quality mica in a belt about 150 km long and 22 km wide in the lower Hazaribagh plateau.
• Andhra Pradesh: Nellore produces the best quality.
• Rajasthan: belt of about 320 km from Jaipur to Bhilwara and around Udaipur.
• Also Mysuru and Hasan (Karnataka), Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Kanniyakumari (TN), Alleppey (Kerala), Ratnagiri (Maharashtra), Purulia and Bankura (WB).

Worked example

Give an account of the distribution of mica in India. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Mica is produced mainly in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rajasthan, followed by Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
2. In Jharkhand, high-quality mica occurs in a 150 km by 22 km belt in the lower Hazaribagh plateau; Nellore in Andhra Pradesh produces the best quality.
3. In Rajasthan the mica belt runs about 320 km from Jaipur to Bhilwara and around Udaipur; minor deposits occur in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

Answer: Mainly Jharkhand (Hazaribagh), Andhra Pradesh (Nellore) and Rajasthan (Jaipur-Bhilwara).

Coal

NCERT section Energy Resources: Coal

Mineral fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas) and nuclear energy minerals are conventional, exhaustible sources of power for agriculture, industry and transport.

Coal: mainly used for thermal power and smelting iron ore. It occurs in two geological ages: Gondwana and Tertiary.

• About 80 per cent of India's coal is bituminous and of non-coking grade.
• Gondwana coalfields: most important in the Damodar Valley (Jharkhand-Bengal belt): Raniganj, Jharia, Bokaro, Giridih, Karanpura. Jharia is the largest, then Raniganj. Other coal valleys: Godavari, Mahanadi, Sone.
• Other centres: Singrauli (MP, partly UP), Korba (Chhattisgarh), Talcher and Rampur (Odisha), Chanda-Wardha, Kamptee, Bander (Maharashtra), Singareni (Telangana), Pandur (AP).
• Tertiary coal: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland: Darangiri, Cherrapunji, Mewlong, Langrin (Meghalaya); Makum, Jaipur, Nazira (upper Assam); Namchik-Namphuk (Arunachal); Kalakot (J&K).
• Lignite (brown coal): coastal Tamil Nadu (e.g. Neyveli), Puducherry, Gujarat and J&K.

Worked example

Describe the distribution of Gondwana coal in India. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Gondwana coal is found mainly in river valleys; over 97 per cent of coal reserves lie in the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari valleys.
2. The Damodar valley (Jharkhand-Bengal belt) has Raniganj, Jharia, Bokaro, Giridih and Karanpura; Jharia is the largest, followed by Raniganj.
3. Other centres: Singrauli, Korba, Talcher, Chanda-Wardha, Singareni and Pandur.

Answer: Concentrated in the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari valleys, led by Jharia and Raniganj.

Petroleum and natural gas

NCERT section Petroleum; Natural Gas

Petroleum: hydrocarbons in liquid and gaseous states; essential for internal combustion engines in automobiles, railways and aircraft. By-products: fertiliser, synthetic rubber, synthetic fibre, medicines, vaseline, lubricants, wax, soap, cosmetics. Called 'liquid gold' for its scarcity and many uses.

• Occurs in sedimentary rocks of the Tertiary period.
• Systematic exploration began after the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (1956); before that Digboi (Assam) was the only oil region.
• Assam: Digboi, Naharkatiya, Moran. Gujarat: Ankaleshwar, Kalol, Mehsana, Nawagam, Kosamba, Lunej. Mumbai High (160 km offshore) discovered 1973, production from 1976. Oil and gas also found in Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.
• Refineries: crude oil has impurities and must be refined. Two types: field-based (e.g. Digboi) and market-based (e.g. Barauni).

Natural gas: found with petroleum, released when crude oil is brought up. Used as domestic and industrial fuel, in power generation, industrial heating, and as raw material in chemical, petrochemical and fertiliser industries. With city gas networks, it is a preferred transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG). Major reserves: Mumbai High and west coast fields, the Cambay basin, and the Krishna-Godavari basin on the east coast. (Activity: GAIL's 'One Nation One Grid' pipelines.)

Worked example

Write a detailed note on the petroleum resources of India. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Petroleum (hydrocarbons) powers internal combustion engines and yields by-products like fertilisers, synthetic rubber and fibre, medicines and lubricants: hence 'liquid gold'.
2. It occurs in Tertiary sedimentary rocks; systematic exploration began with ONGC in 1956, before which Digboi was the only oil region.
3. Assam: Digboi, Naharkatiya, Moran; Gujarat: Ankaleshwar, Kalol, Mehsana, Nawagam, Kosamba, Lunej.
4. Mumbai High, 160 km offshore, was discovered in 1973 and began producing in 1976; new finds are in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.
5. Crude must be refined: field-based refineries (Digboi) and market-based refineries (Barauni).

Answer: Oil comes from Assam, Gujarat and Mumbai High (plus new eastern basins), refined in field- and market-based refineries.

Nuclear and non-conventional energy

NCERT section Nuclear Energy Resources; Non-Conventional Energy Sources

Nuclear energy: uses uranium and thorium.

• Uranium occurs in Dharwar rocks: along the Singhbhum copper belt, Udaipur, Alwar and Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan), Durg (Chhattisgarh), Bhandara (Maharashtra), Kullu (HP).
• Thorium comes from monazite and ilmenite in beach sands of Kerala and Tamil Nadu; the world's richest monazite deposits are in Palakkad and Kollam (Kerala), near Visakhapatnam and the Mahanadi delta.
• Atomic Energy Commission (1948); progress after the Atomic Energy Institute at Trombay (1954), renamed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (1967).
• Nuclear power projects: Tarapur (Maharashtra), Rawatbhata near Kota (Rajasthan), Kalpakkam (TN), Narora (UP), Kaiga (Karnataka), Kakrapar (Gujarat).

Non-conventional (renewable) sources: fossil fuels and nuclear energy use exhaustible materials; only renewables (solar, wind, hydro-geothermal, biomass) are sustainable, more equitably distributed and eco-friendly, and cheaper once initial costs are met.

• Solar: photovoltaics and solar thermal technology; solar thermal is cost-competitive, eco-friendly and easy to build; said to be 7 per cent more effective than coal or oil plants and 10 per cent more than nuclear; used in heaters, crop dryers, cookers. Greater potential in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• Wind: pollution-free, inexhaustible; turbines convert wind's kinetic energy; uses trade winds, westerlies, monsoon, local winds and land and sea breezes; favourable in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka.
• Tidal and wave: large tidal waves along the west coast; great potential but not yet utilised.
• Geothermal: heat from magma and hot water from geysers; a plant at Manikaran (Himachal Pradesh); the first successful use was at Boise, Idaho (USA, 1890).
• Bio-energy: from agricultural residues and municipal, industrial and other wastes; converted to electricity, heat or cooking gas; improves rural economies, reduces pollution and pressure on fuelwood; e.g. Okhla (Delhi) waste-to-energy project.

Worked example

What are non-conventional sources of energy? Why are they preferred? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. They are renewable sources like solar, wind, tidal and wave, geothermal and bio-energy.
2. Unlike fossil fuels and nuclear minerals, they are inexhaustible, more equitably distributed and environment-friendly.
3. After the initial cost, they provide sustained, eco-friendly and cheaper energy; e.g. solar in Gujarat and Rajasthan, wind in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, geothermal at Manikaran.

Answer: Renewable, clean, widely available sources that are cheaper in the long run.

Conservation of mineral resources

NCERT section Conservation of Mineral Resources

Sustainable development requires combining economic development with environmental concerns and protecting resources for future generations. Traditional resource use creates enormous waste and other problems.

Measures:
1. Develop alternative inexhaustible energy sources (solar, wind, wave, geothermal) to replace exhaustible ones.
2. Use scrap metals to recycle, especially copper, lead and zinc, in which India's reserves are meagre.
3. Use substitutes for scarce metals to reduce consumption.
4. Reduce exports of strategic and scarce minerals so reserves last longer.

Worked example

Suggest measures for the conservation of mineral resources. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Develop inexhaustible alternatives like solar, wind, wave and geothermal energy to replace exhaustible fuels.
2. Recycle scrap metals, especially copper, lead and zinc where India's reserves are meagre, and use substitutes for scarce metals.
3. Reduce exports of strategic and scarce minerals so that reserves last longer.

Answer: Renewable alternatives, recycling and substitutes, and limiting exports of scarce minerals.

Mineral and Energy Resources in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Iron Ore and Manganese
• Bauxite, Copper and Mica
• Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas
• Nuclear and Non-Conventional Energy Sources and Conservation of Minerals

Mineral and Energy Resources: key facts

Mineral types

Metallic: ferrous (iron ore, manganese, chromite), non-ferrous (copper, bauxite); Non-metallic: organic (coal, petroleum), inorganic (mica, limestone, graphite)

Fig. 5.1.

Characteristics

Uneven distribution; inverse quality-quantity; exhaustible (no second crop)

Need conservation.

Belts

NE plateau (Chhotanagpur, Odisha, WB, Chhattisgarh); SW plateau (Karnataka, Goa, TN, Kerala); NW (Aravali, Rajasthan, Gujarat); Himalayan

Most east of Mangaluru-Kanpur line.

Iron ore

Reserves	largest in Asia
Ores	haematite and magnetite
Spread	95% in 8 states
Mines	Badampahar (Mayurbhanj), Noamundi, Gua, Bailadila, Dalli-Rajhara, Sandur-Hospet (Ballari), Kudremukh, Ratnagiri

Near coalfields.

Manganese

Leading: MP and Odisha; Balaghat belt (MP); Shivamogga (Karnataka)

For iron smelting, ferro alloys.

Bauxite

Odisha largest (Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Koraput, Bolangir); Lohardaga; Amarkantak; Katni-Jabalpur

Laterite, tertiary.

Copper

$Singhbhum(Jharkhand),Balaghat(MP),Jhunjhunu,Alwar(Rajasthan)$

Electrical industry.

Mica

Hazaribagh plateau belt (150 x 22 km); Nellore best; Jaipur-Bhilwara (320 km)

Electrical and electronics.

Coal

Gondwana (Damodar: Jharia largest, Raniganj, Bokaro, Giridih, Karanpura); Tertiary (NE); lignite (Neyveli)

80% bituminous, non-coking.

Petroleum

ONGC 1956; Digboi, Naharkatiya, Moran (Assam); Ankaleshwar, Kalol (Gujarat); Mumbai High (1973, prod. 1976)

Refineries: field-based (Digboi), market-based (Barauni).

Nuclear

$AEC1948;Trombay1954->BARC1967;Tarapur,Rawatbhata,Kalpakkam,Narora,Kaiga,Kakrapar$

Uranium: Dharwar; thorium: monazite (Kerala).

Renewables

Solar (Gujarat, Rajasthan); wind (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka); tidal (west coast); geothermal (Manikaran); bio-energy (Okhla)

Equitable, eco-friendly.

Mineral and Energy Resources: map work

The places on the official CBSE map list for this chapter. Find each one on an outline map of India and practise marking it.

How the board asks Mineral and Energy Resources

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Mineral and Energy Resources

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Map: iron ore

  "My Brother Reads Books": Mayurbhanj, Bailadila, Ratnagiri, Bellary.

  Use it when: Iron ore mines.

• Map: coal

  "JBRN": Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj, Neyveli.

  Use it when: Coal mines.

• Map: bauxite

  "KBK": Katni, Bilaspur, Koraput.

  Use it when: Bauxite mines.

• Map: refineries

  "MJB": Mathura, Jamnagar, Barauni.

  Use it when: Oil refineries.

• Map: copper and manganese

  "Copper HSK" (Hazaribagh, Singhbhum, Khetari); "Manganese BS" (Balaghat, Shimoga).

  Use it when: Copper and manganese.

Mineral and Energy Resources: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section E style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In the board paper this is a 3-mark question split into 1 + 1 + 1 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in Mineral and Energy Resources

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Calling coal metallic

  It is a mineral.

  ✓Do this: Coal and petroleum are non-metallic, organic mineral fuels.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Confusing field-based and market-based refineries

  Two types.

  ✓Do this: Digboi: field-based; Barauni: market-based.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Wrong map locations of mines

  Many similar names.

  ✓Do this: Iron ore: Mayurbhanj, Bailadila, Ratnagiri, Bellary; manganese: Balaghat, Shimoga; copper: Hazaribagh, Singhbhum, Khetari; bauxite: Katni, Bilaspur, Koraput; coal: Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj, Neyveli.

  Usually costs: 1 mark per item.

• ✗Mistake: Studying minerals outside the syllabus list

  Textbook mentions many.

  ✓Do this: Minerals in the syllabus: iron ore, manganese, bauxite, copper and mica only (plus energy minerals).

  Usually costs: Relevance.

NCERT exercise guide: Mineral and Energy Resources

What each exercise in the NCERT chapter tests, how to approach it, and a question of the same kind solved step by step. Questions here are written in our own words.

Practice questions on Mineral and Energy Resources

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   The first atomic power station in India was started at:
   (a) Kalpakkam
   (b) Narora
   (c) Rana Pratap Sagar
   (d) Tarapur

   Hint

   Maharashtra.

   Answer

   (d) Tarapur.

2. Q2 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   Which is the largest coalfield of India?
   (a) Raniganj
   (b) Jharia
   (c) Singrauli
   (d) Neyveli

   Hint

   Damodar valley.

   Answer

   (b).

3. Q3 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

   Assertion (A): Use of scrap metals is especially significant for copper, lead and zinc.
   Reason (R): India's reserves of these metals are meagre.
   Choose (a)-(d).

   Hint

   Conservation.

   Answer

   (a) Both are true and R explains A.

4. Q4 · 1 mark · MCQHarder board level

   Match the mineral with the area:
   i. Best quality mica a. Kalahandi
   ii. Bauxite b. Nellore
   iii. Copper c. Balaghat (also manganese)
   iv. Geothermal plant d. Manikaran
   (a) i-b, ii-a, iii-c, iv-d
   (b) i-a, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d
   (c) i-b, ii-c, iii-a, iv-d
   (d) i-d, ii-a, iii-c, iv-b

   Hint

   Places.

   Answer

   (a).

5. Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

   What is nuclear power? Name the important nuclear power stations of India. (3 marks)

   Hint

   Uranium, thorium.

   Answer

   Nuclear power is energy generated using nuclear minerals, mainly uranium (from Dharwar rocks, Singhbhum belt, Rajasthan) and thorium (from monazite and ilmenite in Kerala and Tamil Nadu beach sands). Important stations: Kakrapar (Gujarat), Kaiga (Karnataka), Narora (Uttar Pradesh), Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu), Rawatbhata near Kota (Rajasthan) and Tarapur (Maharashtra).

6. Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   Suppose a city produces mountains of garbage and agricultural residue from nearby farms. Using the chapter, suggest how this can be turned into energy and the benefits. (3 marks)

   Hint

   Bio-energy, Okhla.

   Answer

   Through bio-energy: agricultural residues and municipal and industrial wastes can be converted into electricity, heat or cooking gas, as the Okhla project in Delhi does. Benefits: it processes waste and garbage, reduces environmental pollution, improves rural economies, enhances self-reliance and reduces pressure on fuelwood.

7. Q7 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   Why is petroleum called 'liquid gold'? Name its uses. (3 marks)

   Hint

   Scarcity and uses.

   Answer

   Because of its scarcity and diversified uses. It is an essential energy source for internal combustion engines in automobiles, railways and aircraft, and its by-products are processed in petrochemical industries into fertilisers, synthetic rubber, synthetic fibre, medicines, vaseline, lubricants, wax, soap and cosmetics.

8. Q8 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

   Describe India's three major mineral belts. (5 marks)

   Hint

   NE, SW, NW.

   Answer

   North-eastern plateau: Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand), Odisha plateau, West Bengal and parts of Chhattisgarh; varied minerals (iron ore, coal, manganese, bauxite, mica), supporting iron and steel. South-western plateau: Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu uplands and Kerala; rich in ferrous metals, bauxite, high-grade iron ore, manganese and limestone; lacks coal except Neyveli lignite; Kerala has monazite and thorium; Goa has iron ore. North-western region: along the Aravali in Rajasthan and part of Gujarat (Dharwar rocks); copper, zinc, building stones (sandstone, granite, marble), gypsum, Fuller's earth, limestone and dolomite; Gujarat has petroleum; both have salt. Also the Himalayan belt with copper, lead, zinc, cobalt, tungsten.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.What share of coal reserves lies in the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari valleys?Show answer

   Over 97 per cent.

2. 2.Which line divides India's mineral-rich east?Show answer

   A line linking Mangaluru and Kanpur.

3. 3.What are the two main types of iron ore in India?Show answer

   Haematite and magnetite.

4. 4.Which state is the largest producer of bauxite?Show answer

   Odisha.

5. 5.When was Mumbai High discovered?Show answer

   In 1973; production began in 1976.

6. 6.Where is India's geothermal plant?Show answer

   Manikaran, Himachal Pradesh.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Can you classify minerals with examples?
• ☐Can you state three characteristics of minerals?
• ☐Can you describe the three mineral belts?
• ☐Can you name iron ore mines by state?
• ☐Can you name manganese, bauxite, copper and mica areas?
• ☐Can you describe coal fields and types of coal?
• ☐Can you describe petroleum fields, Mumbai High and refinery types?
• ☐Can you list nuclear power stations and nuclear minerals?
• ☐Can you explain five non-conventional sources?
• ☐Can you suggest four conservation measures?

Mineral and Energy Resources: frequently asked questions