CLASS 10 GEOGRAPHY · CHAPTER 5 · STUDY NOTES
Minerals and Energy Resources
Recognise mineral occurrences, connect ores with their uses and compare energy sources, impacts and conservation choices.
EXPLORE
The Role of Minerals in Our Lives
Minerals supply materials for everyday objects, buildings and machines.A mineral has identifying properties
Use several properties
One clue, not sufficient alone
Resistance to scratching
How light reflects
Internal arrangement
Choose an idea to look closer.
- Mineral
- A naturally occurring substance with a definable internal structure.
Take a moment. What do you think?
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Question
How do geologists define a mineral?
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Why do minerals possess different physical properties like hardness or color?
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EXPLORE
How Minerals Occur in Nature
A deposit becomes useful for mining when extraction is practical and worth its cost.Minerals occur in different formations
- Veins and lodes
Cracks in igneous or metamorphic rocks
- Beds and layers
Accumulations in sedimentary rocks
- Residual deposits
Weathering leaves materials such as bauxite
- Placer deposits
Durable minerals in river sands
Choose an idea to look closer.
- Ore
- Mineral-bearing material from which extraction is economically viable.
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Question
What is the difference between a vein and a lode?
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What are 'placer deposits'?
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EXPLORE
Ferrous Minerals: The Backbone of Industry
Iron ore supplies iron; manganese is important in steel-making. Read each chart’s date and labels carefully.Two important iron ores
- Magnetite
High iron content, up to about 70%
- Hematite
Major industrial ore; about 50–60% iron
Choose an idea to look closer.
- Ferrous mineral
- A mineral associated with iron-bearing resources.
| Iron Ore Type | Iron Content | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Magnetite | Up to 70% | Finest quality, excellent magnetic properties, used in electrical industry. |
| Hematite | 50% to 60% | Most important industrial ore in terms of quantity used. |
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Question
Which state was the leading producer of Manganese in 2018-19?
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Why is Magnetite valuable for the electrical industry?
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EXPLORE
Non-Ferrous Minerals: Copper and Bauxite
Copper and aluminium are useful for different combinations of properties.Bauxite is an ore; aluminium is a metal
- Bauxite
An aluminium-bearing ore
- Alumina
Processed from the ore
- Aluminium
Light, useful metal
Choose an idea to look closer.
- Non-ferrous mineral
- A mineral source for metals other than iron.
| Mineral | Key Properties | Major Producing Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | Malleable, ductile, good conductor | Balaghat (MP), Khetri (Rajasthan), Singhbhum (Jharkhand) |
| Bauxite | Ore used to obtain aluminium | Panchpatmali (Odisha), Amarkantak plateau, Bilaspur-Katni |
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Question
From which ore is aluminium obtained?
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Why is copper used extensively in the electronics industry?
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EXPLORE
Non-Metallic Minerals and Rock Minerals
A material can be valuable even when we do not use it to extract a metal.Properties explain uses
- Mica
Splits into sheets; electrical insulation
- Limestone
Cement and iron-smelting uses
Choose an idea to look closer.
- Non-metallic mineral
- A mineral used for properties other than as a source of metal.
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Question
Why is mica indispensable for the electronics industry?
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Which industry primarily uses limestone as a raw material?
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EXPLORE
Conservation of Mineral Resources
We use workable deposits much faster than geological processes replace them.Keep useful metals in circulation
- Extract carefully
Limit waste and damage
- Use efficiently
Maintain and repair products
- Recover scrap
Collect materials after use
- Recycle
Make recovered metal usable again
Choose an idea to look closer.
- Mineral conservation
- Using finite mineral resources responsibly and reducing waste.
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Question
Why are mineral resources considered non-renewable?
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