General Awareness · Geography

Minerals and Ores

1,167 Questions

Minerals and ores encompass the extraction, identification, and economic significance of naturally occurring crystalline substances. Topics cover specific ores like cinnabar and bauxite, alongside global mineral resource distribution. Candidates preparing for general awareness and geography sections should review these questions to master regional and global mineral reserves.

Ore identificationMineral extractionGlobal mineral reservesIndustrial minerals

Minerals and Ores Questions

Multiple choice

From which mineral is radium obtained?

  1. Limestone

  2. Haematitie

  3. Pitchblende

  4. Rutile
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Radium was first isolated from pitchblende (also called uraninite) by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. Pitchblende is a uranium-rich ore that contains trace amounts of radium along with other radioactive elements. The Curies processed tons of pitchblende to extract small amounts of radium.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements :

  1. Most of the iron ores found in India are of the limonite type.
  2. The magnetite type of iron ore occurs in the Dharwad and Cuddapah rock systems of the peninsular India.
  3. In India, sphalerite and galena occur in the pre - Cambrian rocks. Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?

  1. 1 and 3 only

  2. 2 only

  3. 2 and 3 only

  4. 1, 2 and 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect - most Indian iron ore is hematite, not limonite. Statement 2 is correct - magnetite deposits occur in Dharwar and Cuddapah rock systems. Statement 3 is incorrect - sphalerite (zinc) and galena (lead) are found in sedimentary rocks of Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat, not primarily in pre-Cambrian rocks. Only statement 2 is correct.

Multiple choice

Consider the following pairs :

  1. Amarkantak area Bauxite deposits
  2. Barabil - koira Haematite deposits valley
  3. Salem district magnesite deposits Which of the pair/pairs given above is / are correctly matched?

  1. 1 only

  2. 1 and 2 only

  3. 3 only

  4. 1, 2 and 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

All three pairs are correctly matched. Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh has bauxite deposits, Barabil-Koira valley (spanning Odisha and Jharkhand) has rich hematite iron ore deposits, and Salem district in Tamil Nadu is known for magnesite deposits.

Multiple choice

Raniganj is famous for the deposits of which mineral?

  1. Iron ore

  2. Coal

  3. Manganese

  4. Mica
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Raniganj, located in West Bengal and Jharkhand, houses India's oldest and one of the largest coal fields. It has been mining coal since the 18th century and remains a major coal-producing region. Iron ore is mined in places like Bailadila and Bonai; manganese in Nagpur and Balaghat; mica in Hazaribagh and Nellore.

Multiple choice

Which of the following sets represents only carbonate ores?

  1. Dolomite, Azurite, Chalcopyrite and Malachite

  2. Cassiterite, Pyrolusite, Azurite and Galena

  3. Pyrolusite, Magnetite, Siderite and Malachite

  4. Dolomite, Azurite, Siderite and Malachite

  5. Magnetite, Chalcopyrite, Malachite and Galena
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Dolomite is a CaCO3.MgCO3, Azurite is a 2[CuCO3].Cu(OH)2 , Siderite is a FeCO3 and Malachite is a CuCO3.Cu(OH)2 all are Carbonate ores.

Multiple choice

In India the major export of iron ore is from

  1. Visakhapatnam

  2. Paradip

  3. Marmugao

  4. Haldia
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Marmugao port in Goa has historically been the major export point for iron ore from India due to its proximity to rich iron ore mining belts in Karnataka and Goa. The port infrastructure and strategic location made it the primary hub for iron ore exports. Paradip and Visakhapatnam also handle significant mineral exports but Marmugao specialized in iron ore.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is the source for the extraction of aluminium?

  1. Hematite

  2. Magnetite

  3. Bauxite

  4. Gypsum

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminium, containing aluminium hydroxides minerals like gibbsite, boehmite, and diaspore. Hematite and magnetite are iron ores. Gypsum is a calcium sulfate mineral used in cement and plaster, not aluminium extraction.

Multiple choice

Which mineral is known as oak cotton?

  1. Asbestos

  2. Gold

  3. Nitrate

  4. Halides
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has been historically called 'mineral cotton' or 'oak cotton' due to its fibrous, cotton-like appearance. It is composed of silicate minerals and was used for insulation and fireproofing.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are correct? P. Sylvine and rock salt are the ores of potassium. Q. Wood metal is used in the making of automatic sprinklers. R. Duralumin is used in the manufacturing of aeroplane parts and consists of Al, Cu, Mg and Mn.

  1. P only

  2. Q only

  3. R only

  4. P and Q

  5. Q and R
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Sylvine (KCl) and rock salt (NaCl) are the ores of potassium and sodium respectively. Wood metal consists of Bi = 50%, Pb = 25%, Sn = 12.5% & Cd = 12.5% and is used in the making of automatic sprinklers as it melts in hot water (m.p.= 68 oC). Duralumin is used in the manufacturing of aeroplane parts and consists of Al = 95.5%, Cu = 4%, Mg = 0.5% and Mn = 0.5%.