CBSE Notes Class 10 Geography Chapter 5: Minerals and Energy Resources

Minerals and Energy Resources are important topics in CBSE Class 10 Geography. Chapter 5 Geography covers the different types of minerals found on Earth, their extraction and refining processes, and their importance in various industries. It also covers the different types of energy resources like conventional and non-conventional sources of energy, their uses, and the need for their conservation. The Geography Chapter 5 highlights the impact of human activities on the environment and the importance of sustainable use of resources.

The earth’s crust is made up of different minerals which are embedded in the rocks. Different metals are extracted from these minerals after refinement. In different stages of development, humans use minerals for their livelihood, religion, decorations, religious and other ceremonial rites. In this chapter, we will study minerals, their classification, how to conserve minerals, different types of energy resources, and also how to conserve these energy resources. All the important topics have been compiled in CBSE Notes Class 10 Geography Chapter 5: Minerals and Energy Resources.

Mineral and Energy Resources Class 10

List of Topics Covered in Chapter 5 – Minerals and Energy Resources
What is Mineral
Mode of Occurrence of MInerals
Classification of Minerals
Metallic Minerals
Ferrous Minerals
Non-Ferrous Minerals
Non-Metallic Minerals
Rocks Minerals
Conversation of Minerals
Energy Resources
Non-Conventional Energy Sources
Conversation of Energy

What is a Mineral?

Minerals are an indispensable part of our lives. Minerals are “homogenous, naturally occurring substances with definable internal structures”. Minerals are found in rocks, soil, and sediments and are essential for various industries, infrastructure, and our daily lives.

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Mode of Occurrence of Minerals

Minerals are found in their “ores”. The term ore is used for describing the accumulations of any type of minerals mixed with other types of elements. The minerals occur usually in the following forms:

1. Minerals occur in the cracks, crevices, faults, or joints in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
2. A number of minerals occur in the beds or layers of sedimentary rocks.
3. Minerals are also formed due to the decomposition of surface rocks and the removal of soluble constituents.
4. Vast quantities of minerals occur in ocean waters.

Classification of Minerals

Classification of Minerals

Minerals can be classified into metallic and non-metallic minerals based on their chemical composition. Metallic minerals can be further divided into ferrous and non-ferrous minerals. Ferrous minerals contain iron and include minerals like iron ore, manganese, and chromite. Non-ferrous minerals do not contain iron and include minerals like copper, lead, and zinc.

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Metallic Minerals

Metallic minerals are those minerals that are used in industries like automobiles, construction, and manufacturing. Metallic minerals are further divided into ferrous minerals that contain iron, and non-ferrous minerals that do not contain iron. India is rich in metallic minerals like iron, copper, lead, and zinc.

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Ferrous Minerals

Ferrous minerals account for almost three-fourths of the overall value of metallic mineral output.

Iron Ore

• India has relatively abundant iron ore deposits.
• Magnetite is the finest iron ore, with up to 70% iron content. It possesses exceptional magnetic properties.
• The most significant industrial iron ore is hematite ore. It contains between 50 and 60% iron. 

India’s key iron ore belts are as follows: 

1. The Odisha-Jharkhand belt 
2. Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt 
3. Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru belt 
4. Maharashtra and Goa belt

Manganese

• It is primarily utilized in the production of steel and ferro-manganese alloys.
• One tonne of steel requires around ten kilograms of manganese.
• It’s also used to make bleaching powder, pesticides, and paints.

Non-ferrous Minerals

Copper, bauxite, lead, zinc, and gold are examples of nonferrous minerals. These minerals are essential in a variety of metallurgical, engineering, and electrical applications.

Copper

• Copper is a malleable, ductile metal that conducts heat and electricity well.
• Electrical cables, electronics, and chemical industries are the primary applications for this material.
• Copper is produced in large quantities in the Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, the Khetri mines in Rajasthan, and the Singhbhum area of Jharkhand.

Bauxite

• The breakdown of a wide range of rocks rich in aluminium silicates results in the formation of bauxite deposits.
• Bauxite is the source of aluminium. Aluminium has excellent conductivity and malleability.
• Deposits are mostly found in the Amarkantak plateau, the Maikal hills, and the Bilaspur-Katni plateau region.

Non-Metallic Minerals

Non-metallic minerals are used in industries like cement, glass, and ceramics. Non-metallic minerals like limestone, mica, gypsum, and salt are abundantly available in India.

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Mica

• Mica is a mineral composed of plates or leaves. It is available in clear, black, green, red, yellow, and brown.
• Mica is one of the most important minerals utilized in the electric and electronic sectors.
• It possesses strong dielectric strength, a low power loss factor, insulating qualities, and high voltage resistance.
• Mica deposits may be found on the Chota Nagpur plateau’s northern border.

Rock Minerals

Rock minerals are non-metallic minerals that are used as fertilizers in agriculture. Examples of rock minerals are phosphate, potash, and sulfur.

Limestone

• Limestone can be found in rocks containing calcium carbonates or calcium and magnesium carbonates.
• It is the primary raw material used in the cement industry and is required for the blast furnace to smelt iron ore.

Conservation of Minerals

Minerals are in the form of non-renewable resources. The formation of minerals takes over thousands of years and the concentration of minerals. Simultaneous extractions of ores lead to the depletion of the presence of minerals. The necessary steps for using minerals in a sustainable and planned manner are very important by taking necessary steps.

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Energy Resources

Energy resources are used for power generation, transportation, and cooking. Energy resources can be classified as follows:

1. Conventional energy resources like coal, petroleum, and natural gas have been discussed below along with their distribution and usage in India. 
2. Non-conventional energy resources like solar, wind, tidal, and nuclear energy have also been explained.

Conventional Energy Resources

Coal

• Coal is the most readily available fossil fuel.
• It is used to generate electricity, as well as to deliver energy to industry and households.
• Lignite is a low-grade brown coal that is mushy and rich in moisture.
• Bituminous coal is coal that has been deeply buried and exposed to high temperatures.
• Anthracite is the hardest coal available.
• Jharia, Raniganj, and Bokaro are all significant coalfields.

Petroleum

• It offers heat and lighting fuel, lubricants for machines, and raw materials for a variety of manufacturing industries.
• Petroleum refineries serve as a “nodal industry” for the synthetic textile, fertilizer, and chemical industries.
• In India, important petroleum-producing locations are Mumbai High, Gujarat, and Assam.

Natural Gas

• Natural gas is an essential source of clean energy. It is regarded as an environmentally beneficial fuel.
• Natural gas is mostly used in the electricity and fertilizer sectors.
• In cars, compressed natural gas (CNG) is utilized to substitute liquid fuels.
• Substantial natural gas deposits have been identified in the Krishna-Godavari basin.

Electricity

Electricity is mostly produced in two ways:

1. Running water powers hydro turbines, which create hydroelectricity. It is a renewable energy source. There are several multi-purpose projects in India, including the Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley Corporation, and the Kopili Hydel Project.
2. Thermal power is produced by burning other fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas to drive turbines. It generates power using nonrenewable fossil fuels.

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Non-Conventional Energy Sources

Non-Conventional Energy Sources include renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, tide energy, biomass, and energy from waste. 

Atomic or nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy is created by modifying the atomic structure. Uranium and Thorium are employed in the production of atomic or nuclear power.

Solar Energy

The Sun’s light generates solar energy. Photovoltaic technology directly turns sunlight into power.

Wind Energy

It is often known as wind power, which is the utilization of wind to create electricity. Wind turbines are utilized to do this. Tamil Nadu has the biggest wind farm cluster, stretching from Nagercoil to Madurai.

Biogas

Biogas is a form of biofuel that is created spontaneously by the breakdown of organic waste. Biogas is the most effective way to utilize cow manure. It increases the manure’s quality.

Tidal energy

Tidal energy is a type of hydropower that turns tide energy into useable types of power, mostly electricity. The Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kachchh in Gujarat on the western coast, and the Gangetic Delta in the Sunderban districts of West Bengal provide perfect conditions for tidal energy utilization in India.

Geo-Thermal Energy

It is created when heat and electricity are generated by utilizing heat from the earth’s interior. Geothermal energy is harvested in India from the Parvati Valley in Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh and the Puga Valley in Ladakh.

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Conservation of Energy

Agriculture, industrial, transportation, commercial, and residential sectors all require energy inputs. There is an urgent need to create a sustainable energy development route. After all, “energy saved is energy produced.” These are some ways that every one of us may help to conserve energy resources:

• Utilizing public transportation instead of personal automobiles.
• While not in use, turn off the electricity.
• Making use of energy-saving equipment.
• Utilizing unconventional energy sources.

Read more: Conservation of Energy Resources

FAQs on CBSE Notes Class 10 Geography Chapter 5: Minerals and Energy Resources

Q1. What are minerals?

Answer-

Minerals are naturally occurring substances that are found in the Earth’s crust. They have a definite chemical composition and are formed through geological processes.

Q2. What are the advantages of mineral resources?

Answer-

The advantages of minerals are that they are non-renewable resources and are very important in the construction, manufacturing, and energy industries.

Q3. What are the major minerals found in India?

Answer-

Major mineral resources of India include Coal, iron ore, manganese ore, mica and bauxite.