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

Kudremukh iron ore deposits are known to be one of the largest in the world. Which of the following statements related to this is correct?

  1. They are located in the Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts.

  2. Deposits found here have the best physical properties needed for steel making.

  3. Iron ore from these mines is exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakapatnam port.

  4. Iron ore from these mines is exported through Marmagao port.

  5. The ore from these mines is transported as slurry through a pipeline to a port near Mangalore.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

This statement is the correct answer. The ore from Kudremukh mines in Karnataka is transported as slurry through a pipeline to a port near Mangalore.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a. Extraction of minerals in India is possible only after obtaining due permission from the government. b. Mining in which minerals are extracted in a long narrow tunnel is known as rat hole mining. c. Coal is the only mineral in India that is owned by individuals or communities.

  1. a only

  2. b only

  3. c only

  4. b and c

  5. a and c
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as this statement is correct. Extraction of minerals in India is possible only after obtaining due permission from the government.

Multiple choice

Mica is used in/for which of the following?

  1. Cement industry

  2. Smelting iron ore in blast furnace

  3. Electric and electronic industries

  4. Chemical industries

  5. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer. Due to its excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties and resistance to high voltage, mica is one of the most indispensable minerals used in electric and electronic industries.

Multiple choice

India is critically deficient in the reserve and production of copper. In which of the following mines is copper found?

a. Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh b. Singbhum district of Jharkhand c. Panchpatmali deposits in Koraput district in Orissa d. Nellore mines of Andhra Pradesh

  1. a, b, c and d

  2. a, b and c

  3. a, c and d

  4. a and b

  5. c and d
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer. The Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh produce 52 per cent of India’s copper. The Singbhum district of Jharkhandand and the Khetri mines in Rajasthan are also famous for their copper deposits.

Multiple choice

The metal extracted from bauxite is

  1. silver

  2. copper

  3. manganese

  4. aluminium

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

Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminium. The Hall-Heroult process is used to extract aluminium from bauxite ore, which is first purified into alumina using the Bayer process.

Multiple choice

In coal mining, the correct sequence in descending order of the given states is

  1. West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh

  2. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal

  3. Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh

  4. Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and West Bangal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In the historical context (pre-2000, before Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were formed), Bihar was the leading coal producer in India, followed by Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. This sequence reflects the major Gondwana coal fields of that era.

Multiple choice

From which of the following ores can iron be extracted?

  1. galena

  2. cryolite

  3. magnetite

  4. cinnabar

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

Magnetite (Fe3O4) is a primary ore of iron and is known for its magnetic properties. Other options like galena (lead), cryolite (aluminum), and cinnabar (mercury) are ores for different metals. Magnetite and hematite are the most common sources for industrial iron extraction.

Multiple choice

The metal extracted from bauxite is

  1. silver

  2. copper

  3. manganese

  4. aluminium
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Bauxite is the primary ore from which aluminium is commercially extracted. It consists mainly of aluminium oxide minerals. Silver, copper, and manganese are extracted from different ores such as argentite, chalcopyrite, and pyrolusite, respectively.