GEOGRAPHY
CLASS-10
MINERALS AND ENERGY RESOURCES (PART-1)
1. Minerals are an indispensable part of our lives. Support the statement with the help of examples.
Ans.- Almost everything we use, from a tiny pin to a towering building or a big ship, all are made from minerals.
- 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.
- 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.
- Thus, we can say that the minerals are an indispensable part of our lives.
2. What is a mineral?
Ans.- Geologists define mineral as a “homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal structure.”
3. Where are minerals found?
Ans.- Minerals are usually found in “ores”.
4. What does the term ore mean?
Ans.- The term ore is used to describe an accumulation of any mineral mixed with other elements.
5. What are the factors that turn a mineral ‘deposit’ or ‘reserve’ into a mine?
Ans.- The following factors turn a mineral ‘deposit’ or ‘reserve’ into a mine.
- The concentration of mineral in the ore
- The ease of extraction
- Closeness to the market
6. Explain the occurrence of minerals in different types of rocks.
Ans.- Minerals generally occur in the following forms:
- 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.
- Major metallic minerals like tin, copper, zinc and lead etc. are obtained from veins and lodes.
- 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. For example- coal and some forms of iron ore.
7. What are placer deposits?
Ans.- 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.
8. India is fortunate to have fairly rich and varied mineral resources. Explain the statement with the help of examples.
Ans.- India is fortunate to have fairly rich and varied mineral resources.
- For example- peninsular rocks contain most of the reserves of coal, metallic minerals, mica and many other non-metallic minerals.
- Sedimentary rocks on the western and eastern flanks of the peninsula, in Gujarat and Assam have most of the petroleum deposits.
- Rajasthan with the rock systems of the peninsula has reserves of many non-ferrous minerals.
9. Which mineral is termed as the basic mineral or the backbone of industrial development and why?
Ans.- Iron Ore 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.
- Magnetite is the finest iron ore with a very high content of iron up to 70 per cent.
- It has excellent magnetic qualities, especially valuable in the electrical industry.
- Hematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of the quantity used, but has slightly lower iron content than magnetite. (50-60 per cent).
10. Name the major iron ore belts located in India.
Ans.- The major iron ore belts in India are:
- Odisha-Jharkhand belt: In Odisha
- Durg-Bastar -Chandrapur belt lies in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra
- Ballari-Chitradurga-ChikkamagaluruTumakuru belt in Karnataka
- Maharashtra-Goa belt includes the state of Goa and Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra
11. Describe the three characteristics of Durg-Bastar -Chandrapur belt lies in India.
Ans.- 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.
12. Name the major leading producers of copper. Mention any three uses of copper.
Ans.- The Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, Khetri mines in Rajasthan and Singhbhum district of Jharkhand are leading producers of copper.
Importance of Copper
Being malleable, ductile and a good conductor, copper is mainly used in –
- Electrical cables
- Electronics
- Chemical industries
13. Mica is one of the most indispensable minerals used in electric and electronic industries. Give reason.
Ans.- Mica is one of the most indispensable minerals used in electric and electronic industries because it has excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties and resistance to high voltage.
14. Where do you find large deposits of Mica in India?
Ans.- Mica deposits are found in the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur plateau.
15. Which region in India is the leading producer of Mica?
Ans.- Koderma Gaya – Hazaribagh belt of Jharkhand is the leading producer of Mica.
16. What are the impacts of mining on the health of the miners and the environment? What steps can be taken to prevent mining from becoming a “killer industry”?
Ans.- The impacts of mining on the health of the miners and the environment are as follows-
- The dust and noxious fumes inhaled by miners make them vulnerable to pulmonary diseases.
- The risk of collapsing mine roofs, inundation and fires in coalmines are a constant threat to miners.
- The water sources in the region get contaminated due to mining.
- Dumping of waste and slurry leads to degradation of land, soil, and increase in stream and river pollution.
- Stricter safety regulations and implementation of environmental laws are essential to prevent mining from becoming a “killer industry”.
17. Why do we need to conserve minerals?
Ans.- We need to conserve minerals because-
- Industry and agriculture depend upon mineral deposits and the substances manufactured from them.
- The total volume of workable mineral deposits is an insignificant fraction i.e. one per cent of the earth’s crust.
- We are rapidly consuming mineral resources that required millions of years to be created and concentrated.
- 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.
18. Explain any three methods of conservation of mineral resources in India.
Ans.- The three methods of conservation of mineral resources in India are as follows-
- A concerted effort has to be made in order to use our mineral resources in a planned and sustainable manner.
- Improved technologies need to be constantly evolved to allow use of low grade ores at low costs.
- Recycling of metals, using scrap metals and other substitutes are steps in conserving our mineral resources for the future.