India - Mineral Belts | Oxford Student ATLAS: Maps & Tests - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


India - Mineral Belts
Introduction
India, with its vast and diverse geological landscape, stands as one of the world's
wealthiest nations in terms of mineral resources. The country's ancient hard rocks
and the presence of Gondwana rocks contribute to the abundance and variety of
minerals found within its borders. In this article, we delve into the major mineral
belts of India, highlighting the significant mineral deposits and their geographical
distribution across the nation.
Mineral Distribution in India
India boasts a wide range of mineral resources, thanks to its unique geological
composition. The majority of metallic minerals are concentrated in the old
crystalline rocks on the peninsular plateau. Notably, the Damodar, Sone,
Mahanadi, and Godavari valleys harbor over 97 percent of the country's coal
reserves. Offshore in the Arabian Sea, petroleum reserves are discovered in the
Assam, Gujarat, and Mumbai High sedimentary basins. Recent explorations have
also unveiled new reserves in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins. It is
important to note that the major mineral resources in India are predominantly
located east of a line running between Mangalore and Kanpur.
Major Mineral Belts
India can be divided into several major mineral belts, each characterized by
unique mineral deposits. Let's explore these belts in detail:
1. The North Eastern Plateau Region: This mineral belt encompasses
Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand), the Odisha Plateau, West Bengal, and parts of
Chhattisgarh. The region hosts a diverse range of minerals, including iron
ore, coal, manganese, bauxite, and mica. It serves as a crucial hub for
mining activities in India.
2. The South-Western Plateau Region: Stretching across Karnataka, Goa, and
the uplands of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, this mineral belt primarily consists of
bauxite and ferrous metals. Additionally, high-grade iron ore, manganese,
and limestone can be found in abundance. Notably, coal deposits are
absent in this belt, except for the presence of Neyveli lignite. Kerala stands
out with its monazite, thorium deposits, and bauxite clay. Goa is known for
its significant iron ore deposits.
3. The North-Western Region: Minerals associated with the Dharwar system
of rocks are found along the Aravali range in Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat.
Page 2


India - Mineral Belts
Introduction
India, with its vast and diverse geological landscape, stands as one of the world's
wealthiest nations in terms of mineral resources. The country's ancient hard rocks
and the presence of Gondwana rocks contribute to the abundance and variety of
minerals found within its borders. In this article, we delve into the major mineral
belts of India, highlighting the significant mineral deposits and their geographical
distribution across the nation.
Mineral Distribution in India
India boasts a wide range of mineral resources, thanks to its unique geological
composition. The majority of metallic minerals are concentrated in the old
crystalline rocks on the peninsular plateau. Notably, the Damodar, Sone,
Mahanadi, and Godavari valleys harbor over 97 percent of the country's coal
reserves. Offshore in the Arabian Sea, petroleum reserves are discovered in the
Assam, Gujarat, and Mumbai High sedimentary basins. Recent explorations have
also unveiled new reserves in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins. It is
important to note that the major mineral resources in India are predominantly
located east of a line running between Mangalore and Kanpur.
Major Mineral Belts
India can be divided into several major mineral belts, each characterized by
unique mineral deposits. Let's explore these belts in detail:
1. The North Eastern Plateau Region: This mineral belt encompasses
Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand), the Odisha Plateau, West Bengal, and parts of
Chhattisgarh. The region hosts a diverse range of minerals, including iron
ore, coal, manganese, bauxite, and mica. It serves as a crucial hub for
mining activities in India.
2. The South-Western Plateau Region: Stretching across Karnataka, Goa, and
the uplands of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, this mineral belt primarily consists of
bauxite and ferrous metals. Additionally, high-grade iron ore, manganese,
and limestone can be found in abundance. Notably, coal deposits are
absent in this belt, except for the presence of Neyveli lignite. Kerala stands
out with its monazite, thorium deposits, and bauxite clay. Goa is known for
its significant iron ore deposits.
3. The North-Western Region: Minerals associated with the Dharwar system
of rocks are found along the Aravali range in Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat.
India - Mineral Belts
Copper and zinc are of particular importance in this region. Rajasthan
showcases an abundance of building materials such as sandstone, granite,
and marble. The state is also rich in gypsum, Fuller's earth, dolomite,
limestone, and serves as a major supplier of raw materials for the cement
industry. Gujarat, on the other hand, is renowned for its oil, gas reserves,
and substantial salt deposits.
Other Mineral Belts
While the major mineral belts hold immense significance, India is endowed with
additional mineral-rich regions. Let's explore them briefly:
1. The Himalayan Belt: Though deficient in metallic minerals, the Himalayan
Belt is not without its mineral treasures. Scattered throughout the
Himalayas, valuable pockets of copper, lead, zinc, bismuth, bauxite,
antimony, nickel-cobalt, tungsten, precious stones, gold, silver, gypsum,
limestone, and dolomite can be found.
2. The Central Belt: The central belt encompasses the states of Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. This region
is home to a diverse range of minerals, including bauxite, manganese,
limestone, marble, uranium, coal, gems, and mica. It ranks as the second-
largest mineral belt in the country.
3. The Indian Ocean Belt: The continental shelf of the Arabian Sea and the
Bay of Bengal are teeming with mineral resources. The Indian Ocean Belt
boasts abundant reserves of mineral oil and natural gas. High-grade
nodules, including manganese, phosphate barium, aluminum, silicon, iron,
titanium, sodium, potassium, chromium, monazite, ilmenite, magnetite,
and garnet, can be found on the seabed.
Conclusion
Minerals play a crucial role in India's development, serving as vital raw materials
for various industries. As limited and non-renewable resources, they hold
immense value. India's rich mineral deposits, dating back to ancient civilizations
like the Harappan, have paved the way for growth and development. The
exploration and extraction of these resources have propelled the mining sector
and contributed significantly to the nation's progress.