Minerals in India
Minerals
Minerals are naturally occurring, homogeneous substances with definite chemical composition. Based on
chemical and physical properties, minerals can be divided into metallic and non-metallic minerals.
Differences between metallic and non-metallic minerals are
Metallic Minerals Non-metallic Minerals
Metallic minerals contain metal in the raw form. Non-metallic minerals do not contain metals.
These metals are generally associated with These metals are generally associated with
igneous rocks. sedimentary rocks.
They are usually hard and have a shine of their They are not usually hard and have no shine of
own. their own.
Examples: Iron, copper, bauxite, tin Examples: Salt, coal, mica, clay
Characteristics of Minerals
Main characteristics of minerals are
Minerals are not evenly distributed on the surface of the Earth.
Minerals are exhaustible. Because they cannot be replenished immediately, they need to be
conserved.
All minerals do not have uniform properties. They have different chemical compositions.
Minerals differ with each other in colour, lustre and texture.
Minerals in India
India is rich in many minerals because of its varied geological structure. Some commonly found minerals
in India are coal, bauxite, mica, iron ore and manganese.
Coal
Coal occurs in the sedimentary rocks. It was formed when plants and ferns were buried in the swamp
forests. Heat and pressure exerted by many layers which were formed over these decayed plants
resulted in many physical and chemical changes.
Coal contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and small amounts of phosphorus and sulphur.
Depending on the amount of carbon, moisture and volatile matter present, coal can be classified into
four categories—anthracite, bituminous, lignite and peat.
Anthracite
It is the hardest and highest quality coal as it has a carbon content of over 90% and burns slowly
without smoke.
It leaves very little ash behind and has a high heating value.
, Bituminous
Its carbon content varies from 50% to 80%.
It is hard and black. It makes up about 80% of the
total coal output in the world.
It is widely used for household purposes.
It is popularly used in various industries. High
grade bituminous coal is used in blast furnaces
for smelting iron.
Lignite
It is a low grade coal also known as brown coal.
It is soft with high moisture content.
Peat
It has the least carbon content and is inferior to
the other three varieties of coal.
It represents the first stage of transformation of
wood into coal.
Uses of Coal
It is used in thermal power plants for generating
electricity.
It is used as a source of heat and energy for
domestic purposes. Map showing major coal fields and coal mines in India
It is used for manufacturing iron and steel. It is
used as raw material in many industries.
Chemicals such as ammonia and benzol are obtained as by-products from the gases which are
released when the coal is burnt in a closed chamber to get metallurgical coke.
Distribution
In India, coal is found in two main fields—Gondwana coalfields and tertiary coalfields. Bituminous coal is
generally found in India.
Gondwana Coalfields
It accounts for 98% of the total coal reserves in India. It is nearly free of moisture.
It is found in the river valleys of Damodar, Mahanadi and Godavari.
Gondwana coal deposits are found in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
Tertiary Coalfields
The coal found in the tertiary coalfields has high moisture content.
These fields are generally found in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
Petroleum
Petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds. It is found in underground reservoirs in sedimentary
rock formations such as sandstone, shale and limestone. Petrol, diesel, tar, kerosene, LPG and paraffin
wax are some products which are obtained during the refining process.
Minerals
Minerals are naturally occurring, homogeneous substances with definite chemical composition. Based on
chemical and physical properties, minerals can be divided into metallic and non-metallic minerals.
Differences between metallic and non-metallic minerals are
Metallic Minerals Non-metallic Minerals
Metallic minerals contain metal in the raw form. Non-metallic minerals do not contain metals.
These metals are generally associated with These metals are generally associated with
igneous rocks. sedimentary rocks.
They are usually hard and have a shine of their They are not usually hard and have no shine of
own. their own.
Examples: Iron, copper, bauxite, tin Examples: Salt, coal, mica, clay
Characteristics of Minerals
Main characteristics of minerals are
Minerals are not evenly distributed on the surface of the Earth.
Minerals are exhaustible. Because they cannot be replenished immediately, they need to be
conserved.
All minerals do not have uniform properties. They have different chemical compositions.
Minerals differ with each other in colour, lustre and texture.
Minerals in India
India is rich in many minerals because of its varied geological structure. Some commonly found minerals
in India are coal, bauxite, mica, iron ore and manganese.
Coal
Coal occurs in the sedimentary rocks. It was formed when plants and ferns were buried in the swamp
forests. Heat and pressure exerted by many layers which were formed over these decayed plants
resulted in many physical and chemical changes.
Coal contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and small amounts of phosphorus and sulphur.
Depending on the amount of carbon, moisture and volatile matter present, coal can be classified into
four categories—anthracite, bituminous, lignite and peat.
Anthracite
It is the hardest and highest quality coal as it has a carbon content of over 90% and burns slowly
without smoke.
It leaves very little ash behind and has a high heating value.
, Bituminous
Its carbon content varies from 50% to 80%.
It is hard and black. It makes up about 80% of the
total coal output in the world.
It is widely used for household purposes.
It is popularly used in various industries. High
grade bituminous coal is used in blast furnaces
for smelting iron.
Lignite
It is a low grade coal also known as brown coal.
It is soft with high moisture content.
Peat
It has the least carbon content and is inferior to
the other three varieties of coal.
It represents the first stage of transformation of
wood into coal.
Uses of Coal
It is used in thermal power plants for generating
electricity.
It is used as a source of heat and energy for
domestic purposes. Map showing major coal fields and coal mines in India
It is used for manufacturing iron and steel. It is
used as raw material in many industries.
Chemicals such as ammonia and benzol are obtained as by-products from the gases which are
released when the coal is burnt in a closed chamber to get metallurgical coke.
Distribution
In India, coal is found in two main fields—Gondwana coalfields and tertiary coalfields. Bituminous coal is
generally found in India.
Gondwana Coalfields
It accounts for 98% of the total coal reserves in India. It is nearly free of moisture.
It is found in the river valleys of Damodar, Mahanadi and Godavari.
Gondwana coal deposits are found in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
Tertiary Coalfields
The coal found in the tertiary coalfields has high moisture content.
These fields are generally found in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
Petroleum
Petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds. It is found in underground reservoirs in sedimentary
rock formations such as sandstone, shale and limestone. Petrol, diesel, tar, kerosene, LPG and paraffin
wax are some products which are obtained during the refining process.
