Mineral Energy & Resources

• Minerals are defined as "homogenous, naturally occurring substances with a definable internal structure"
• Minerals are found in varied forms in nature, ranging from the hardest diamond to the softest talc
• Rocks are combinations of homogeneous substances called minerals
• Minerals are usually found in "ores", which are accumulations of minerals mixed with other elements
• Minerals can occur in different forms:

  • In igneous and metamorphic rocks, minerals may occur in cracks, crevices, faults, or joints
  • In sedimentary rocks, minerals occur in beds or layers
  • Surface rock decomposition and removal of soluble constituents also form minerals
  • Minerals can be found as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills
  • Ocean waters contain vast quantities of minerals
• Ferrous minerals account for about three-fourths of the total value of metallic minerals production
• Iron ore in India:

  • Magnetite is the finest iron ore with a very high iron content, up to 70%, and excellent magnetic qualities
  • Hematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore, containing 50 to 60% iron
  • Major iron ore belts in India include Odisha-Jharkhand belt, Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt, Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru belt, and Maharashtra-Goa belt
• Manganese:

  • Mainly used in manufacturing steel and ferro-manganese alloy
  • About 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture 1 tonne of steel
  • Also used in manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides, and paints
• Non-ferrous minerals include copper, bauxite, lead, zinc, and gold, playing vital roles in metallurgical, engineering, and electrical industries
• Copper:

  • Malleable, ductile, and a good conductor of heat and electricity
  • Mainly used in electrical cables, electronics, and chemical industries
  • Leading producers of copper in India are Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, Khetri mines in Rajasthan, and Singhbhum district of Jharkhand
• Bauxite:

  • Deposits formed by the decomposition of rocks rich in aluminium silicates
  • Aluminium is obtained from bauxite, known for its good conductivity and malleability
  • Deposits mainly found in the Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills, and the plateau region of Bilaspur-Katni
• Non-metallic minerals:

  • Mica is a mineral used in electric and electronic industries, with excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties, and resistance to high voltage
  • Mica deposits are found in the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur plateau
  • Limestone is found in rocks composed of calcium carbonates or calcium and magnesium carbonates, essential for the cement industry and smelting iron ore in blast furnaces
• Minerals are non-renewable resources, taking thousands of years to form and concentrate, so it's crucial to conserve them for planned and sustainable use
• Energy resources can be classified as:

  1. Conventional Sources: firewood, cattle dung cake, coal, petroleum, natural gas, and electricity

  2. Non-Conventional Sources: solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas, and atomic energy
• Coal:

  • Most abundantly available fossil fuel used for power generation, industrial energy supply, and domestic needs
  • Lignite is a low-grade brown coal with high moisture content
  • Bituminous coal is formed by deep burial and increased temperatures
  • Anthracite is the highest quality hard coal
  • Important coalfields in India include Jharia, Raniganj, and Bokaro
• Petroleum:

  • Provides fuel for heat, lighting, lubricants, and raw materials for manufacturing industries
  • Petroleum refineries are crucial for synthetic textile, fertilizer, and chemical industries
  • Major petroleum production areas in India are Mumbai High, Gujarat, and Assam
• Natural Gas:

  • Important clean energy resource, considered environment-friendly
  • Key users are power and fertilizer industries
  • Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) used in vehicles to replace liquid fuels
  • Large reserves discovered in the Krishna-Godavari basin
• Electricity generation:

  • Hydro Electricity generated by running water through hydro turbines, a renewable resource
  • Thermal Power generated by burning fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas, a non-renewable resource
• Non-Conventional Sources of Energy:

  • Renewable sources like solar energy, wind, tide, biomass, and energy from waste material
  • Nuclear or Atomic Energy obtained by altering the structure of atoms using Uranium and Thorium
• Solar Energy:

  • Produced by the Sun's light, converted into electricity using photovoltaic technology
• Wind Power:

  • Generated by wind using wind turbines, largest wind farm cluster in Tamil Nadu from Nagarcoil to Madurai
• Biogas:

  • Naturally produced from the decomposition of organic waste, efficient use of cattle dung, improves manure quality
• Tidal Energy:

  • Converts energy from tides into electricity, ideal conditions in India in the Gulf of Khambhat, Gulf of Kachchh, and Gangetic delta in Sunderban regions
• Geo-Thermal Energy:

  • Produced by using heat from the interior of the earth, harnessed in India from Parvati valley near Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh and Puga Valley, Ladakh
• Conservation of Energy Resources:

  • Every sector of the national economy needs energy inputs
  • Urgent need to develop a sustainable path for energy development
  • Ways to save energy resources include using public transport, switching off electricity when not in use, using power-saving devices, and utilizing non-conventional energy sources