The distribution of iron ore in India is quite widespread, with deposits being found in almost all the states. However, the major deposits are located in the eastern and southern parts of the country. Here is a detailed account of the distribution of iron ore in India:

Major Iron Ore Deposits in India:

1. Odisha - Odisha is the largest producer of iron ore in the country, accounting for more than 50% of the total production. The major deposits are located in the Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, and Jajpur districts.

2. Chhattisgarh - The second-largest producer of iron ore in India, Chhattisgarh, has deposits in the Durg, Bastar, and Raipur districts.

3. Jharkhand - Jharkhand is the third-largest producer of iron ore in the country, with major deposits located in the Singhbhum district.

4. Karnataka - The major deposits are located in the Bellary, Hospet, Chitradurga, and Chikmagalur districts.

5. Goa - The state of Goa is known for its high-quality iron ore deposits, which are mainly located in the North Goa and South Goa districts.

6. Maharashtra - The major deposits are located in the Chandrapur, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts.

7. Andhra Pradesh - The major deposits are located in the Anantapur, Kurnool, and Cuddapah districts.

8. Tamil Nadu - The major deposits are located in the Salem and Tiruchirappalli districts.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, iron ore deposits are found in almost all the states in India. However, the major deposits are located in the eastern and southern parts of the country, with Odisha being the largest producer of iron ore. The distribution of iron ore is an important factor in the economic development of the country, as it contributes significantly to the GDP and provides employment opportunities to a large number of people.

The iron ore is found in following four types:
1. Magnetite
2. Hematite
3. Limonite
4. Siderite
Distribution of Iron Ore in India:
India is one of the richest countries of the world in iron ore deposits, particularly the hematite ore. According to the latest Indian Year Book, 95 percent of the hematite resources are distributed in Odisha, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Goa. Magnetite resources are estimated at around 10,619 million tons out of which only 59 million tons is situated mainly in Goa, Rajasthan and Jharkhand. The rest 10,560 million tons or the 99 percent of the magnetite resource is in 'Remaining Resources' category which is mainly found in Karnataka (74 percent) and Andhra Pradesh (14 percent).

Iron Ore reserves (in descending order)

Karnataka

Odisha

Jharkhand

Chhattisgarh


Iron Ore production (in descending order)

Odisha

Goa

Karnataka

Chhattisgarh


The iron ore is widely distributed in the country:

Jharkhand

The iron ores here exist as hill masses which are close to coal fields. The iron ore generally occurs at the top of the hills, iron ore mining companies use aerial ropeways for bringing down the ore and pumping it into the railway wagons standing near the foot of the hills. The major iron ore mining areas in Jharkhand are Noamudi, Gua, Jamda and Kiriburu.

Chhattisgarh

Exploitable rich iron deposits are located in Dalli-Rajhara region of Durg district (close to Bhilai Steel Works), Bailadilla region of Dantewada district, Arindogi region and Raoghat region.


Odisha

The major iron ore mining centre is in Singhbhum district. The districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh also form the richest reserves of quality iron ore. The iron ore available here is Hematite which has about 60-70 percent metallic iron content. The iron ore from these sites is supplied to the iron and steel factories located at Rourkela, Jamshedpur, Asansol and Durgapur. The ore is also exported to different countries through the Paradip port.

Goa

The major iron ore mining centres are Sanguem, Safari, Ponda, Sahqualim, Bicholim and Quepem. The iron ore found in Goa is of high quality. The mining centres are located close to the port of Marmagao. The mines are worked by open-cast methods. They are close to rivers which enter the sea near the port. The iron ore is brought by road to jetties on the navigable rivers from which it is taken away to port for onward journey.

Karnataka

In Karnataka, the major iron ore mining areas are Baba Budan Hills, Kudremukh region, Hospet, Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur district. Iron-ore mined in Bellary and Hospet area is transported to Hospet from where it is sent to the ports of Chennai and Marmagao through railways for export to other countries.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra produces a very small amount of iron ore. Major mining ore areas include Chandrapur, Ratnagiri and Bhandara districts.


Andhra Pradesh

Iron ore is mined in small quantities in districts of Karimnagar, Warangal, Cuddapah, Kurnool, Adilabad and Anantapur.

Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, the areas where iron ore is mined are Tirthamalai Hills in Salem district and Yadpalli and Killiomalai areas in Nilgiris.