What is a Mineral?
A “homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal
structure” is referred to as a mineral. Nature contains a wide variety of
minerals, from the softest talc to the hardest diamonds. Minerals are
homogenous substance combinations that make up rocks.
Mode of Occurrence of Minerals
Minerals are usually found in “ores”. The term ore is used to describe an
accumulation of any mineral mixed with other elements. Minerals generally
occur in the following forms:
Minerals can be found in the joints, fractures, fissures, and cracks of
igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Several minerals are found in beds or layers in sedimentary rocks.
The minerals are also formed by the breakdown of surface rocks and the
extraction of soluble components.
Alluvial deposits of minerals can also be found in the sands at the foot of
hills and on valley floors.
There is a ton of minerals in the ocean.
Ferrous Minerals
Ferrous minerals account for about three-fourths of the total value of the
production of metallic minerals.
Iron Ore
India is endowed with fairly abundant resources of iron ore.
Magnetite is the finest iron ore with a very high content of iron, up to
70%. It has excellent magnetic qualities.
Hematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore. It contains 50 to
60% iron.
The major iron ore belts in India are:
Odisha-Jharkhand belt
Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt
Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru belt
Maharashtra-Goa belt
Manganese
It is mainly used in the manufacturing of steel and
ferromanganese alloy.
Nearly 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture 1 tonne of steel.
It is also used in manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides, and
paints.
Non-Ferrous Minerals
Non-ferrous minerals include copper, bauxite, lead, zinc and gold. These
minerals play a vital role in several metallurgical, engineering and electrical
industries.
Copper
A malleable, ductile and good conductor of heat and electricity.
Mainly used in electrical cables, electronics and chemical industries.
The Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, the Khetri mines in Rajasthan
and the Singhbhum district of Jharkhand are leading producers of
copper.
Bauxite
Bauxite deposits are formed by the decomposition of a wide variety of
rocks rich in Aluminium silicates.
Aluminium is obtained from bauxite. Aluminium has good conductivity
and great malleability.
Deposits are mainly found in the Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills and
the plateau region of Bilaspur-Katni.
Non-Metallic Minerals
Mica is a mineral made up of a series of plates or leaves. It can be clear,
black, green, red, yellow or brown.
Mica is the most indispensable mineral used in the electric and
electronic industries.
It has excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating
properties and resistance to high voltage.
Mica deposits are found on the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur
plateau.
Rock Minerals
Limestone is found in rocks composed of calcium carbonates or calcium
and magnesium carbonates.
It is the basic raw material for the cement industry and essential for
smelting iron ore in the blast furnace.
Conservation of Minerals
One non-renewable resource is mineral wealth. The creation and concentration
of minerals take thousands of years.
Mineral reserves are depleted as ores are extracted further. Therefore, it’s
critical to take the required actions to enable the planned and sustainable use
of mineral resources.
Energy Resources
Energy resources can be classified as
Conventional Sources: These includes firewood, cattle dung cake, coal,
petroleum, natural gas, and electricity.
Non-Conventional Sources: These includes solar, wind, tidal,
geothermal, biogas and atomic energy.
Let us discuss each of them in detail.
Conventional Sources of Energy
Coal:
It is the most abundantly available fossil fuel.
It is used for power generation, to supply energy to the industry as well
as for domestic needs.
Lignite is a low-grade brown coal, which is soft with high moisture
content.
Coal that has been buried deep and subjected to increased temperatures
is bituminous coal.
Anthracite is the highest quality of hard coal.
Jharia, Raniganj, and Bokaro are important coalfields.
Petroleum
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,
fertilizer and numerous chemical industries.
Mumbai High, Gujarat and Assam are major petroleum production areas
in India.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is an important clean energy resource. It is considered an
environment-friendly fuel.
The power and fertilizer industries are the key users of natural gas.
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is used in vehicles to replace liquid fuels.
Large reserves of natural gas have been discovered in the Krishna-Godavari
basin.
Electricity
Electricity is generated mainly in 2 ways:
1. By running water which drives hydro turbines to generate Hydro
Electricity. It is a renewable resource of energy. India has a number of
multi-purpose projects like the Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley
Corporation, the Kopili Hydel Project.
2. By burning other fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas to drive
turbines to produce Thermal Power. It uses non-renewable fossil fuels
for generating electricity.
Non-Conventional Sources of Energy
Renewable energy sources like solar energy, wind, tide, biomass and energy
from waste material are called Non-Conventional Energy Sources. Let’s discuss
them one by one.
Nuclear or Atomic Energy
Nuclear Energy is obtained by altering the structure of atoms. Uranium and
Thorium are used for generating atomic or nuclear power.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is produced by the Sun’s light. Photovoltaic technology converts
sunlight directly into electricity.
Wind Power
Wind Energy or Power is the use of wind to generate electricity. Wind turbines
are used for this purpose. The largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil Nadu
from Nagercoil to Madurai.
Biogas
One kind of biofuel that is naturally produced when organic waste breaks down
is called biogas. The most effective way to use cow dung is to create biogas. It
raises the manure’s quality.
Tidal Energy
Tidal energy is the form of hydropower that converts the energy obtained from
tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity.
In India, the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kachchh in Gujarat on the western
coast and the Gangetic Delta in the Sunderban regions of West Bengal provide
ideal conditions for utilising tidal energy.
Geo-Thermal Energy
Geo-thermal energy is the term used to describe the process of producing heat
and power from the earth’s interior.
Geothermal energy is extracted in India from Puga Valley in Ladakh and Parvati
Valley in Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh.
Conservation of Energy Resources
Energy inputs are required by all areas of the national economy, including
agriculture, industry, transportation, commerce, and domestic use. Creating a
sustainable course for energy development is important.
The following are some methods that each of us may help conserve energy
resources:
Using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles
Switching off electricity when not in use
Using power-saving devices.
Using non-conventional sources of energy
