Daily Quiz – 28th Mar 2024

Statement 1 is incorrect and Statement 2 is correct: Rare Earths are a group of 17 elements starting with lanthanum in the periodic table of elements and include scandium and yttrium.

They are moderately abundant in earth's crust but not concentrated enough to make them economically exploitable. A number of rare-earth minerals contain thorium and uranium in variable amounts, but they do not constitute essential components in the composition of the minerals. The principal sources of Rare Earths are bastnaesite, xenotime, and monazite (a phosphate).

Monazite is radioactive (presence of Thorium and Uranium) is often found in placer deposits. India, Madagascar, and South Africa have large deposits of monazite sands.

The deposits in India are particularly rich in monazite and are found in sands of both rivers and beaches.

Statement 3 is correct and 4 is incorrect:

As can be seen in the table, Andhra pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha have appreciable monazite resources.

Uranium and Thorium for India’s nuclear program are sourced from these regions.

Statement 1 is correct: Diamond occurrences have been reported since prehistoric times in the country. Presently, diamond fields of India are grouped into four regions:

1. South Indian tract of Andhra Pradesh, comprising parts of Anantapur, Kadapa, Guntur, Krishna, Mahabubnagar and Kurnool districts;
2. Central Indian tract of Madhya Pradesh, comprising Panna belt;
3. Behradin-Kodavali area in Raipur district and Tokapal, Dugapal, etc. areas in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh;
4. Eastern Indian tract mostly of Odisha, lying between Mahanadi and Godavari valleys. By States, Madhya Pradesh accounts for about 90.18% resources followed by Andhra Pradesh 5.72% and Chhattisgarh 4.09%

Statements 2 and 3 are incorrect: India depends largely on imports of rough gem diamonds for its Cutting and Polishing Industry as there is no notable production except for two producers in Madhya Pradesh whose limited production is too sparse to meet the Cutting and Polishing Industry's requirements. The cut and polished diamonds are predominantly re-exported.  In India, there are two reporting mines, both under Public Sector located in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh.

Exp:

Option D is correct: Mines in ODISHA

As can be seen in the map, Odisha has large reserves of almost all kinds of minerals that are commercially exploited for various industries in India.

Odisha has the largest reserves of bauxite, iron ore and Chromite in India.

Option C is correct: Iron ore: Iron is taken out from mines in the form of iron ore. There are different types of iron ore containing varying percentage of pure iron:

Haematite

1. 60 to 70 percent pure iron
2. Distribution: Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa
3. Formed in the Cuddapah rocks and Dharwad System

Magnetite

1. magnetite actually has higher iron content (70-75%) than the mineral hematite. However, while hematite ore generally contains large concentrations of hematite, magnetite ore generally holds low concentrations of magnetite.
2. Hence the ore needs to be beneficiated (treat to improve its properties) for magnetite recovery.
3. Taconite and Lodestone are forms of Magnetite
4. Distribution: Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh,

Limonite

1. inferior iron ore that is yellowish in colour with 40 to 60 per cent iron content
2. Distribution: Raniganj, Garhwal (uttarakhand) and Kangra Valley (himachal)

Siderite

1. It is iron carbonate ore of inferior quality with less than 40 per cent iron content.
2. Invariably has many impurities and hence mining, in many places, is economically unviable.

Iron ore details:

1. India has large iron ore reserves. It occurs in various geological formations but major economic deposits are found in volcanosedimentary Banded Iron Formation (BIF) from the Precambrian age.
2. India's leading state that produces iron ore are Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Jharkhand

Options 1,2,3 and 5 are correct:

Metallic minerals are the minerals containing one or more metals. These usually occur as mineral deposits and are a great heat and electricity conductor. They can be ferrous or non-ferrous. Ferrous Non-Ferrous Chromite, manganese, Pyrites, Tungsten, Nickel, Cobalt.

Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, bauxite, Magnesium, Tin.

Nonmetallic minerals lack metallic characteristics like good electric and thermal conductivity, luster, rigor, and malleability; they are, however, essential for many industries.

Examples: Limestone, nitrate, Potash, mica, gypsum, Dolomite.