Minerals and Ores

The Zawar mines in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan are among the oldest zinc and lead mines in the world. They have been a primary source of these minerals for centuries and are currently operated by Hindustan Zinc Limited.

Scheelite is a calcium tungstate mineral with the chemical formula CaWO₄. Pyrochlorite (CaNaNb₂O₆) is an important ore/mineral of niobium.

Ilmenite (Fe.TiO₃) is an oxide ore of titanium. Hausmannite (Mn₃O₄) is an oxide ore of manganese. Linnaeite (Co₃S₄) is the sulphide ore of cobalt. Hence, only ilmenite (Fe.TiO₃) is the oxide ore of titanium.

The mixture of iron ore, coke and limestone is called ‘charge’. Iron ore is not pure iron oxide. It also contains an assortment of rocky material. This wouldn't melt at the temperature of the furnace, and would eventually clog it up. The limestone is added to convert this into slag which melts and runs to the bottom. The heat of the furnace decomposes the limestone to give calcium oxide.

Soil contains a wide variety of essential minerals and nutrients that plants absorb through their roots. While air provides carbon dioxide and water provides hydrogen and oxygen, the bulk of mineral nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium come from the soil. Chemical fertilizers are used to supplement these natural levels but are not the primary natural source.

The Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), located in the Kolar district of Karnataka, were famous for gold mining for over a century. They were one of the deepest mines in the world before they were closed in 2001 due to high costs and low gold production. The region remains synonymous with India's gold mining history.

Monazite is a reddish-brown phosphate mineral that is a primary ore for thorium, as well as rare earth elements.

Cerussite is a mineral form of lead carbonate and is one of the most important ores of lead.

Talc is a clay mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula Mg3Si4O10(OH)2.

Dolomite is a calcium magnesium carbonate mineral. Limonite, Siderite, and Magnetite are all common iron ores.

Pitchblende, also known as uraninite, is the primary ore of uranium.

Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral, commonly used as an ore of copper.

Feldspars are a group of rock-forming tectosilicate minerals that make up about 41 percent of the Earth's continental crust by weight, making them the most plentiful minerals.

Bauxite is the primary ore from which aluminum is extracted. Haematite is the primary ore from which iron is extracted.