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Mineral and Energy Resources – Class 12 Geography notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 12 Geography, chapter 13. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Minerals are natural substances with definite chemical and physical properties. They are classified as metallic (ferrous and non-ferrous), non-metallic and energy minerals. India has rich deposits of iron ore, manganese, bauxite, mica and coal, concentrated mainly in the north-eastern plateau region (Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh), the south-western plateau and the north-west. Energy resources include conventional sources (coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydro and nuclear) and non-conventional sources (solar, wind, tidal, geothermal and biomass).

Minerals and their distribution

Mineral belts: the north-eastern plateau region (Chota Nagpur, Odisha plateau, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh) is the richest, with iron ore, coal, manganese, bauxite and mica; the south-western plateau (Karnataka, Goa) has iron ore and bauxite; the north-western region (Rajasthan, Gujarat) has copper, zinc and petroleum.
Iron ore (haematite and magnetite) is found in Odisha (Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj), Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh (Bailadila), Karnataka and Goa; manganese in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra; bauxite in Odisha (Panchpatmali in Koraput), Jharkhand and Gujarat.
Mica is found in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan; copper in Rajasthan (Khetri) and Jharkhand (Singhbhum).

Energy resources

Coal, the main source of thermal power, occurs mainly in Gondwana basins in Jharkhand (Jharia), Odisha (Talcher), Chhattisgarh and West Bengal (Raniganj); lignite occurs at Neyveli in Tamil Nadu.
Petroleum and natural gas are found in Assam (Digboi), Gujarat (Ankleshwar), Mumbai High offshore and the Krishna–Godavari basin.
Nuclear power uses uranium (Jaduguda in Jharkhand) and thorium (monazite sands of Kerala); non-conventional sources include solar (Rajasthan, Gujarat), wind (Tamil Nadu, Gujarat), tidal, geothermal and biomass energy, which are renewable and cleaner.

Key terms

Ferrous minerals: metallic minerals containing iron
Non-ferrous minerals: metallic minerals without iron, such as copper and bauxite
Gondwana coal: older coal deposits found in peninsular river valleys
Conventional energy: traditional sources like coal, oil and gas
Non-conventional energy: renewable sources like solar, wind and tidal energy

Important questions with answers

Distinguish between conventional and non-conventional sources of energy.2 marks

Conventional sources, such as coal, petroleum, natural gas and fuelwood, have been used for a long time and are mostly exhaustible and polluting. Non-conventional sources, such as solar, wind, tidal, geothermal and biomass energy, are renewable, cleaner and increasingly important.

Why is Odisha important for minerals?3 marks

Odisha has large deposits of iron ore (Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj), bauxite (Panchpatmali in Koraput), coal (Talcher, Ib valley), manganese and chromite (Sukinda). These support steel, aluminium and thermal power industries in the state.

Describe the distribution of coal and petroleum in India.5 marks

Coal is the most important source of energy for thermal power in India. About 80% of India's coal is bituminous, occurring in Gondwana formations about 200 million years old, mainly in the river valleys of the Damodar (Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro, Giridih in Jharkhand and West Bengal), the Mahanadi (Talcher and Ib valley in Odisha), the Son, the Godavari (Singareni in Telangana) and the Wardha. Chhattisgarh (Korba) and Madhya Pradesh (Singrauli) also have large reserves. Tertiary coal, which is younger, is found in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Lignite, a lower-grade coal, is mined at Neyveli in Tamil Nadu and in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Petroleum and natural gas occur in sedimentary rocks of the Tertiary age. Assam has the oldest oilfields, including Digboi, Naharkatiya and Moran; Gujarat has Ankleshwar, Kalol and Mehsana; Mumbai High, an offshore field about 160 km off Mumbai, is a major producer; and the Krishna–Godavari and Cauvery basins on the east coast have oil and gas. Natural gas is also found with oil and is transported by pipelines such as HVJ. India produces only a part of its requirement and imports much crude oil, so conservation and alternative energy sources are important.

Quick revision

Classification of minerals.
Mineral belts; Odisha and Jharkhand richest.
Coal, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear.
Non-conventional energy; conservation.

Exam tips

Map major mines of iron ore, coal, bauxite and petroleum.
Note Odisha's minerals: iron ore, bauxite, coal, manganese, chromite.

Practice MCQs

Bauxite is the ore of
1. iron
2. aluminium
3. copper
4. zinc
Show answer
Answer: (b) aluminium. Odisha has large deposits.
Digboi oilfield is in
1. Gujarat
2. Rajasthan
3. Assam
4. Maharashtra
Show answer
Answer: (c) Assam. It is one of the oldest in India.
Solar and wind energy are
1. non-conventional sources
2. conventional sources
3. fossil fuels
4. exhaustible minerals
Show answer
Answer: (a) non-conventional sources. They are renewable.
Panchpatmali bauxite deposits are in
1. Odisha
2. Jharkhand
3. Gujarat
4. Kerala
Show answer
Answer: (a) Odisha. They are in Koraput district.
Neyveli in Tamil Nadu is known for
1. iron ore
2. lignite
3. gold
4. uranium
Show answer
Answer: (b) lignite. It supports thermal power.
Thorium is obtained from the monazite sands of
1. Punjab
2. Kerala
3. Bihar
4. Haryana
Show answer
Answer: (b) Kerala. It is important for nuclear energy.
The richest mineral belt of India is the
1. north-western region
2. Indo-Gangetic plain
3. north-eastern plateau region (Chota Nagpur and Odisha)
4. Thar desert
Show answer
Answer: (c) north-eastern plateau region (Chota Nagpur and Odisha). It has coal, iron ore, manganese and bauxite.
Why is promoting non-conventional energy important for India
1. fossil fuels are unlimited
2. it reduces dependence on imported oil and cuts pollution
3. it increases carbon emissions
4. it is never renewable
Show answer
Answer: (b) it reduces dependence on imported oil and cuts pollution. It supports sustainable development.

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Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.