Natural Resources and Minerals — TNPSC Group II/IIA Geography
Overview
India is endowed with diverse mineral resources — coal, iron ore, bauxite, mica, and precious stones. Tamil Nadu has its own mineral wealth including lignite, limestone, and granite. For TNPSC Group 2/2A, focus on the distribution of major minerals, their uses, and Tamil Nadu's mineral resources.
Classification of Minerals
| Type | Examples |
|---|
| Ferrous minerals | Iron ore, manganese, nickel, cobalt |
| Non-ferrous minerals | Copper, bauxite, gold, lead, zinc |
| Non-metallic minerals | Limestone, mica, salt, diamond |
| Energy minerals | Coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium |
Coal
Types of Coal
| Type | Carbon Content | Calorific Value | States |
|---|
| Anthracite | 80–95% | Highest | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Bituminous | 45–80% | High | Jharkhand, Odisha, MP, AP, WB |
| Lignite (Brown Coal) | 30–45% | Low | Tamil Nadu (Neyveli), Rajasthan |
| Peat | 10–30% | Very low | Assam, Kerala |
Major Coalfields
| Coalfield | State | Significance |
|---|
| Jharia | Jharkhand | Largest coalfield in India; best quality coal |
| Raniganj | West Bengal | Oldest coalfield; discovered 1774 |
| Bokaro | Jharkhand | — |
| Korba | Chhattisgarh | — |
| Singrauli | MP/UP boundary | — |
| Talcher | Odisha | — |
| Wardha Valley | Maharashtra | — |
| Neyveli | Tamil Nadu | Lignite; NLC India Ltd |
Neyveli Lignite (Tamil Nadu)
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC India Limited): Public sector; mines lignite
- Location: Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu
- Three blocks: Neyveli Block I, Block II (Cuddalore), Barsingsar (Rajasthan)
- Thermal power: NLC has 3940 MW of lignite-based power plants
- Also exploring solar power expansion
- Neyveli township — planned company town
Iron Ore
Distribution
| State | Key Areas | Type |
|---|
| Odisha | Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Kendujhar | Hematite |
| Chhattisgarh | Bailadila, Dantewada | Hematite |
| Jharkhand | Singhbhum | Hematite |
| Karnataka | Bellary-Hospet (Kudremukh), Chitradurga | Both |
| Goa | — | Hematite (exported) |
| Tamil Nadu | Salem (Shevaroy Hills region) | Magnetite |
Bailadila (Chhattisgarh): Highest quality iron ore in India
Tamil Nadu's Iron Ore
- Salem district: Magnetite iron ore deposits (Kanjamalai, Godumalai hills)
- Salem Steel Plant (SAIL): Uses local iron ore; one of India's special steel plants
Bauxite (Aluminium Ore)
| State | Key Areas |
|---|
| Odisha | Koraput, Kalahandi |
| Andhra Pradesh | Visakhapatnam |
| Gujarat | Jamnagar, Junagarh |
| Jharkhand | Hazaribagh, Ranchi |
| Tamil Nadu | Nilgiris, Ariyalur, Salem |
- India has 8th largest bauxite reserves globally
- Used for: Aluminium production (aircraft, automobiles, electrical cables)
- NALCO (National Aluminium Company): Odisha; India's largest aluminium company
Mica
| State | Key Areas |
|---|
| Jharkhand | Koderma, Giridih, Hazaribagh |
| Rajasthan | Bhilwara, Jaipur |
| Andhra Pradesh | Nellore |
- India is the world's largest producer of mica
- Used for: Electrical insulation, electronics, cosmetics
- Mica belt: Runs through Jharkhand, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh
Copper
| State | Key Areas |
|---|
| Rajasthan | Khetri (Jhunjhunu) — largest copper mine |
| Madhya Pradesh | Malanjkhand (Balaghat) |
| Jharkhand | Singhbhum |
| Tamil Nadu | Sterlite/Vedanta copper smelter in Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) |
Sterlite controversy (Tamil Nadu):
- Vedanta's copper smelter in Thoothukudi was one of India's largest
- Shut down permanently in 2018 after protests citing pollution; police fired on protesters (13 deaths)
Gold
| State | Key Areas |
|---|
| Karnataka | Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) — now closed; Hutti |
| Tamil Nadu | Nilgiris (minor deposits) |
- Kolar Gold Fields (KGF): World's deepest gold mine (3 km); closed 2001
- India imports most of its gold
Key Minerals of Tamil Nadu
| Mineral | Districts | Uses |
|---|
| Lignite (Brown Coal) | Cuddalore (Neyveli), Ariyalur, Veeranam | Thermal power (NLC) |
| Limestone | Ariyalur, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli | Cement industry |
| Granite | Salem (Salem Black), Krishnagiri, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli | Construction, export |
| Magnetite Iron Ore | Salem | Salem Steel Plant |
| Magnesite | Salem | Refractory bricks, chemicals |
| Bauxite | Nilgiris, Ariyalur | Aluminium |
| Ilmenite | Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari (beach sands) | Titanium dioxide; IREL mining |
| Garnet (Almandine) | Tirunelveli coast | Abrasives; export |
| Vermiculite | Cuddalore | Heat insulation |
| Gypsum | Tirunelveli | Cement, plaster of Paris |
| Feldspar | Krishnagiri, Salem | Ceramics, glass |
Salem — Mineral Hub
- Salem district has iron ore (magnetite), magnesite, bauxite, and limestone
- Salem Steel Plant (SAIL): Special steel with local iron ore
- Magnesite: Salem is world's largest magnesite producer; used in refractories
Cement Industry in Tamil Nadu
- Ariyalur: Limestone deposits; major cement industry hub
- Tamil Nadu Cement plants: Dalmia Bharat, Ramco Cements (Ariyalur, Tirunelveli)
- Tamil Nadu is one of top cement-producing states
Energy Resources
Petroleum and Natural Gas
| State | Fields |
|---|
| Rajasthan | Barmer fields (Cairn India) |
| Assam | Digboi (India's first oil well, 1889) |
| Gujarat | Kalol, Ankleshwar |
| Offshore | Mumbai High (ONGC) — largest; Panna, Tapti |
| Andhra/Tamil Nadu offshore | KG Basin (Krishna-Godavari) |
Tamil Nadu: KG Basin has gas reserves; some exploration near Chennai coast
Nuclear Energy Minerals
| Mineral | States |
|---|
| Uranium | Jharkhand (Jadugoda), AP, Meghalaya |
| Thorium | Kerala (Alappuzha coast), Tamil Nadu (Tirunelveli coast) — beach sands; IREL mines |
Tamil Nadu and thorium: Tirunelveli coast has India's richest beach sand minerals including ilmenite, monazite (thorium), and garnet. IREL (India Rare Earths Limited) mines these.
Key Facts for TNPSC Group II/IIA
- India's largest coalfield: Jharia (Jharkhand) — bituminous coal
- Oldest coalfield: Raniganj (West Bengal, 1774)
- India's largest producer of mica: Used in electrical insulation
- Neyveli Lignite (Tamil Nadu): NLC India Ltd; Cuddalore district; thermal power
- Salem: Iron ore (magnetite), magnesite (world's largest producer), bauxite — mineral hub of TN
- Ariyalur: Limestone — cement industry in Tamil Nadu
- Tirunelveli coast: Beach sand minerals — ilmenite, monazite (thorium), garnet; IREL mines
- India's gold: Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) in Karnataka — historically India's largest gold mine; now closed
- Bailadila (Chhattisgarh): Highest quality iron ore in India; exported
- Copper: Khetri (Rajasthan) — largest; Thoothukudi had Sterlite copper smelter (closed 2018)
Previous Year MCQ Patterns
Q: Neyveli Lignite Corporation is located in which district of Tamil Nadu? a) Salem b) Cuddalore c) Tiruchirapalli d) Villupuram
Answerb) Cuddalore — Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC India Limited) is located in Neyveli, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. It mines lignite (brown coal) from open-cast mines and uses it to generate thermal electricity. Neyveli is one of India's largest open-cast mining operations.
Q: Salem district of Tamil Nadu is known for the production of which mineral? a) Lignite b) Limestone c) Magnesite d) Ilmenite
Answerc) Magnesite — Salem district in Tamil Nadu is the world's largest producer of magnesite. Magnesite is used in refractories (heat-resistant bricks for furnaces and kilns), fertilizers, and chemicals. Salem also has magnetite iron ore, bauxite, and limestone, making it a significant mineral-rich district.
Q: India is the largest producer of which non-metallic mineral? a) Copper b) Mica c) Bauxite d) Lead
Answerb) Mica — India is the world's largest producer of mica, primarily from the mica belt running through Jharkhand, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh. Mica is used in electrical insulation, electronics (capacitors, electrical equipment), and cosmetics. India produces about 60% of the world's sheet mica.
