Minerals and Energy Resources

The Earth’s structure includes various elements. The outer layer (crust) contains them in solid form, while the interior holds them in molten form. Nearly 98% of the Earth’s crust is made up of just 8 elements:

• Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminum, Iron, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium
  

The remaining 2% includes:

• Titanium, Hydrogen, Phosphorus, Manganese, Sulfur, Carbon, Nickel, and others.

What are Minerals?

• Minerals are naturally occurring substances made up of one or more elements.
  
• They can be organic (from living things, like coal) or inorganic.
  
• A mineral has a definite chemical composition, physical properties, and a specific atomic structure.
  
• Some minerals consist of single elements like gold, silver, or graphite, while others are compounds.
  

There are around 2,000 identified minerals, but most rocks are formed from six major mineral groups.

Minerals originate from magma inside the Earth. When magma cools, it forms minerals and rocks. Organic minerals include:

• Coal (solid)
  
• Petroleum (liquid)
  
• Natural gas (gas)

Physical Properties of Minerals

• Crystal Form: Shape due to internal atomic arrangement (cube, hexagonal, etc.).
  
• Cleavage: Tendency to split along certain planes.
  
• Fracture: Breaks irregularly if no cleavage planes exist.
  
• Luster: Surface shine (metallic, silky, glassy).
  
• Color: Some minerals have distinct colors; others vary due to impurities.
  
• Streak: Color of powdered form (may differ from the mineral’s appearance).
  
• Transparency:
  
  • Transparent: Clear view
    
  • Translucent: Blurry view
    
  • Opaque: No light passes
    
• Structure: Arrangement and size of crystals (fine, coarse, fibrous).
  
• Hardness: Resistance to scratching.
  
• Specific Gravity: Weight compared to an equal volume of water.

India’s Major Mineral Belts

1. North-Eastern Peninsular Belt
   (Chhota Nagpur Plateau, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh)
   
   • Rich in iron ore, coal, manganese, bauxite, and mica.
     
2. Central Belt
   (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra)
   
   • Abundant in manganese, bauxite, coal, mica, iron, and graphite.
     
3. Southern Belt
   (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu)
   
   • Rich in ferrous minerals, has lignite in Neyveli.
     
4. South-Western Belt
   (Goa, Western Karnataka)
   
   • Known for iron ore, garnet, and clay.
     
5. North-Western Belt
   (Rajasthan, Gujarat)
   
   • Has copper, lead, zinc, uranium, mica, and gemstones.

Types of Minerals

1. Metallic Minerals

These contain metals and are categorized into:

• Ferrous Minerals: Iron ore, manganese, chromite.
  
  • Iron Ore: Found in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa, and Tamil Nadu. Major types: Hematite, Magnetite.
    
  • Manganese: Used in steelmaking. Found mainly in Odisha.
    
• Non-Ferrous Minerals: No iron content. Examples: bauxite, copper, zinc, lead.
  
  • Bauxite: Used to make aluminum. Major producers: Odisha, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra.
    
  • Copper: Used in electrical goods. Found in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan.
    

2. Non-Metallic Minerals

Do not contain metals. Used in industries for insulation, fertilizers, etc.

• Mica: Used in electronics. Major producers: Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan.
  
• Other examples: Sulfur, phosphate, dolomite, limestone.

Energy Resources

1. Coal

• Main source for thermal power.
  
• Found mainly in Gondwana deposits (e.g., Damodar Valley: Jharia, Raniganj) and Tertiary deposits (e.g., Assam, Meghalaya).
  
• Lignite (brown coal) found in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat.
  

2. Petroleum

• Key fuel for vehicles and raw material for petrochemical products.
  
• Found in:
  
  • Assam: Digboi, Naharkatiya
    
  • Gujarat: Ankleshwar, Mehsana
    
  • Mumbai High (offshore)
    
  • Krishna-Godavari Basin
    
• Two types of oil refineries:
  
  • Field-based (e.g., Digboi)
    
  • Market-based (e.g., Barauni)
    

3. Natural Gas

• Found along with petroleum.
  
• Used in power generation, cooking, and as CNG/PNG.
  
• Major reserves: Mumbai High, Cambay Basin, Krishna-Godavari Basin.

Oceanic Minerals

• Found on the sea floor in the Indian Ocean.
  
• Include:
  
  • Polymetallic nodules (nickel, cobalt, iron)
    
  • Massive sulphides (copper, zinc, gold, etc.)
    
• Coastal areas rich in titanium, zirconium, tin, etc.
  
• Rare earth elements exist but are not always economically viable.