Mineral Distribution in India: A mineral is a substance that occurs naturally, inorganic (never alive), solid that has a well-defined atomic structure on the inside, and a chemical composition that can only shift slightly without disrupting the crystal structure. India is blessed with numerous mineral resources and about 20,000 mineral deposits and recoverable reserves of about 60 minerals are present in India.
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Mineral distribution in India
Mineral Distribution in India
The minerals are concentrated in India in three broad belts:
- North-Eastern Plateau Region- It includes the Chotanagpur area, Odisha, West Bengal, and parts of Chhattisgarh.
- South-Western Plateau Region- It includes Karnataka Goa, and areas contiguous to Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
- North-Western Region- It includes areas of Aravali in Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat and also minerals that are associated with the Dharwar system of rocks.
Mineral Distribution in India Map
Mineral Belt
Mineral Belts in India
The distribution of minerals in India as per the plateau region or regional belts:
- North-Eastern Plateau region.
- South-Western Plateau region.
- North-Western Plateau Region.
North-Eastern Plateau Region
Chhotanagpur in Jharkhand, the plateau regions of Odisha along with West Bengal, including a sliver of Chhattisgarh, make up the northeastern plateau region. Because of its abundance of raw materials used in the production of steel, including iron ore, coal, manganese, bauxite, as well as Mica, this area is home to numerous steel mills.
South-Western Plateau Region
The states of Karnataka, Goa, the highlands of Tamil Nadu, and Kerala make up the southwestern plateau region. It has an abundance of bauxite and ferrous metals. The region also produces significant quantities of iron ore, manganese, as well as limestone.
North-Western Plateau Region
The Aravalli Mountains in Rajasthan and the regions that are of Gujarat that are home to the Dharwar rocks make up the northern western plateau. Zinc and copper are two of the region’s most valuable metals. Sandstone, Granite, and Marble are all plentiful in Rajasthan, making it an ideal location for construction projects. Copper, Lead, Zinc, Cobalt, as well as Tungsten, are just a few of the minerals that may be found in the Himalayan area of India.
Different Types of Minerals
There are two forms of minerals disseminated everywhere in India. Some of them are discussed in detail below:
Metallic Minerals in India
Some important metallic minerals and their characteristics are as follows:
Metallic Minerals
Manganese
- The primary stores of Mn area unit caterpillar-tracked down in Mysore, trailed by Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, geographic area, and province.
- Minor events of Mn metal in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and the province. It is a big mineral that is utilized for creating iron and steel, and it goes concerning as a vital unrefined substance for the collection of its composite.
- Nearly a half-dozen kilograms of Mn are anticipated for the collection of one ton of steel. It’s in addition utilized for the collection of blanching powder.
Copper
- Rajasthan is attributable to the largest assets of copper mineral at 668.5 million tons with a metal substance of 3982 thousand tons, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
- Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand province, are also areas where copper is traced.
Iron
- Iron minerals are unit rocks, and minerals from that bimetal iron are extracted.
- The most noteworthy maker is the Odisha Jharkhand belt, Durg Bastar Chandrapur belt, Bellary-Chitradurga-Chikmagalur-Tumkur belt, and, therefore, the geographic area province belt.
- Karimnagar and Warangal districts in Telangana, Kurnool, Cuddapah, and Anantapur districts in Andhra Pradesh, and Salem, as well as Nilgiris districts in Tamil Nadu, are other important iron ore-producing regions in India.
Gold
- The biggest assets of gold metal (essential) are in the state of Karnataka, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and so on. Whereas regarding the metal substances.
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Mysore stayed on the highest, followed by Rajasthan, province, state, and Andhra Pradesh.
There are 3 vital goldfields within the nation out of the 2 area units organized in Mysore. They are the Kolar gold field, Kolar Hutti territory, and Ramagiri territory, which is just one set in Andhra Pradesh. - The Kolar field is the most established mine in Bharat and has created around 800 loads of gold in its life of one hundred twenty years before it had been enclosing 2001.
Non-Metallic Minerals In India
Some important non-metallic minerals in India are as follows:
Non-Metallic minerals
Limestone
- Over three-fourths of the total limestone of India is produced by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu.
- According to the statistics for 2014-2015, the state of Rajasthan was the most productive in terms of producing limestone, accounting for 21 percent of the overall output.
- The state of Madhya Pradesh is responsible for producing approximately 20 percent of India’s total limestone supply.
- Along with the region of Rewa, the districts of Jabalpur, Satna, Betul, Sagar, and Damoh in the state of Madhya Pradesh are some of the major producers of limestone in the state.
Major limestone-producing districts in Rajasthan are
- Jhunjhunu
- Banswara, Jodhpur
- Ajmer
- Bikaner
- Dungarpur
- Kota, Tonk
- Alwar
- Sawai Madhopur
- Nagaur
Mica
- India is one of the primary suppliers of translucent substances to the globe.
- Mica-bearing volcanic rocks are majorly found in AP, Bihar, Jharkhand, geographic area of Rajasthan.
- State-wise total major distributors of Mica are as follows:-
- Andhra Pradesh leads with 41% of total Mica resources.
- Rajasthan (21%)
- Odisha (20%)
- Maharashtra (15%)
- Bihar (2%) and
- Jharkhand and Telangana hold the remaining 1%.
Gypsum
- The regions of Rajasthan and southern India that are known for their gypsum deposits are the most well-known, although minor quantities can also be found in Himachal Pradesh, Tehri-Garhwal, and other portions of western India.
- Muscovite, phlogopite, and biotite are the three most common varieties of mica that may be found in India.
- Gypsum is produced in significant quantities in India, with 81 percent of the country’s entire supply coming from the Indian state of Rajasthan.
- The major deposits of Gypsum are found in the Tertiary clays and shales of Jodhpur, Nagaur, and Bikaner.
List of Major Minerals in India
Here is a list of major list of minerals in India:
Gold
In its original form, Gold contains traces of copper and silver. Gold nuggets typically contain between 70 and 95 percent gold, with the remaining content largely consisting of silver.
Manganese
The human body contains trace levels of manganese, a mineral. Concentrations are highest in the skeleton, the liver, the kidneys, and the pancreas to process food. Connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, as well as sex hormones can all benefit from manganese’s presence in the body.
Copper
Copper, both a mineral and an element, plays a significant role in the human experience. As a result of its great ductility and malleability, as well as its high thermal and electrical conductivity as well as resistance to corrosion, it is an important metal in the industrial sector.
Iron ore
Rocks and minerals that contain sufficient amounts of iron to allow for its extraction might be referred to as iron ores. Magnetite, titanomagnetite, pisolitic ironstone, and massive hematite are the four primary varieties of iron ore deposits. Massive hematite is the kind of iron ore that is mined the most frequently. The color of these ores can range from rusty red to dark gray, a bright yellow, or even a deep purple.
Mica
Mica is the mineral term given to a group of minerals that share similarities in both their physical appearance and their chemical composition. All of these minerals are silicates, and because they crystallize in layers, they are referred to as sheet silicates.
Limestone
A sedimentary rock known as limestone is mostly made up of calcium carbonate, also known as calcite or dolomite, which is a double carbonate of calcium and magnesium. It is typically made up of minuscule fossils, shards of shells, and various other pieces of fossilized rubbish.
Gypsum
Gypsum, or calcium sulfate dihydrate, is a form of sulfate mineral that is relatively soft. It is mined in many different countries and has a wide variety of applications, such as in agriculture, building, medicine, art, and cuisine.
State-Wise Distribution Of Minerals In India
Mineral |
Mineral Distribution in India |
| Manganese | Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Rajasthan |
| Copper | Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, geographic area, Meghalaya, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand |
| Iron |
Odisha Jharkhand belt, Durg Bastar Chandrapur belt, Bellary-Chitradurga-Chikmagalur-Tumkur belt, |
| Gold | Karnataka, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh |
| Limestone | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu. |
| Mica |
Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Jharkhand |
| Gypsum | Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, and Gujarat |
Related Links
- Classification of Minerals
- Minerals and Energy Resources
- Metallic Minerals
- Non-Metallic Minerals
- Important Minerals in the World
- Rocks and Minerals
- Mineral Based Industries
FAQs on Mineral Distribution in India
1. Where are the mineral deposits in India?
Mineral Production in India Broken Down by State According to the data from 2023, Orissa is the most productive state in India in terms of mineral extraction, followed by Chhattisgarh. Kerala. Rajasthan.
2. What is the spatial distribution of minerals in India?
Minerals can be found in nearly every variety of rock, including sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks, among others. These are non-renewable resources, which means that if they are used up completely, they will cease to exist. Minerals come in a wide variety of forms, but some examples include petroleum, diesel, paraffin wax, and others.
3. What are the main regions for the distribution of minerals in India?
In India, the peninsular plateau is where the majority of the country’s old crystalline rocks and metallic minerals can be found. Over ninety-seven percent of the world’s coal reserves are located in the valleys of the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi, as well as Godavari rivers.
4. Which are the major mineral belts of India?
The major mineral belts of India include North-eastern peninsular belt, central belt, southern belt, southwestern belt and northwestern belt.