A mineral is defined as a naturally occurring inorganic element or compound with a characteristic chemical composition and physical properties and an ordered atomic arrangement. Minerals occur in many different forms and most can be classified into:
1. Metallic Minerals
Metallic minerals occur in rare, naturally formed concentrations known as mineral deposits. These deposits can consist of a variety of metallic minerals containing valuable metals such as nickel (pentlandite), copper (chalcopyrite), zinc (sphalerite), lead (galena) and gold (occurs as a native element or as a minor constituent within other minerals) that are used in all aspects of our daily lives.
I. Ferrous Minerals: Ferrous minerals account for about three-fourths of the total value of the production of metallic minerals.
Iron Ore
- India is endowed with fairly abundant resources of iron ore.
- Magnetife is the finest iron ore with a very high content of iron, up to 70%. It has excellent magnetic qualities.
- Hematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore. It contains 50 to 60% iron.
Manganese
- It is mainly used in the manufacturing of steel and ferro-manganese alloy.
- Nearly 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture 1 tonne of steel.
- It is also used in manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides and paints.
II. Non-Ferrous Minerals: Non-ferrous minerals include copper, bauxite, lead, zinc and gold. These minerals play a vital role in a number of metallurgical, engineering and electrical industries.
Copper
- Malleable, ductile and good conductor of heat and electricity.
- Mainly used in electrical cables, electronics and chemical industries.
- The Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, Khetri mines in Rajasthan and Singhbhum district of Jharkhand are leading producers of copper.
Bauxite
- Bauxite deposits are formed by the decomposition of a wide variety of rocks rich in aluminium silicates.
- Aluminium is obtained from bauxite. Aluminium has good conductivity and great malleability.
- Deposits are mainly found in the Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills and the plateau region of Bilaspur-Katni.
2. Non-Metallic Minerals
Non-metallic mineral reserves consist of stone quarries and clay and sand pits; chemical and fertiliser mineral deposits; salt deposits; deposits of quartz, gypsum, natural gem stones, asphalt and bitumen, peat and other non-metallic minerals other than coal and petroleum.
Mica: Mica is a mineral made up of a series of plates or leaves. It can be clear, black, green, red, yellow or brown. Mica is the most indispensable minerals used in electric and electronic industries. It has excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties and resistance to high voltage. Mica deposits are found in the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur plateau.
Rock Minerals: Limestone is found in rocks composed of calcium carbonates or calcium and magnesium carbonates. It is the basic raw material for the cement industry and essential for smelting iron ore in the blast furnace.
