General Awareness ยท 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

Which one of the following is not correctly matched?

  1. Graphite-orissa

  2. Copper -Rajasthan

  3. Gold-Karnataka

  4. Iron Ore-Bihar
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Iron ore is primarily mined in states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka, not Bihar. The other pairings (Graphite in Odisha, Copper in Rajasthan, Gold in Karnataka) are generally correct in the context of Indian mineral geography.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is ore of zinc?

  1. Calamine

  2. Cinnabar

  3. Chile saltpeter

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

Calamine is a zinc ore, specifically zinc carbonate. Cinnabar is mercury ore, Chile saltpeter is sodium nitrate, and fluorspar is calcium fluoride.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is ore of sodium?

  1. Calamine

  2. Cinnabar

  3. Chile saltpeter

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

Chile saltpeter is sodium nitrate, which is a primary source of sodium and nitrogen. Calamine is zinc, Cinnabar is mercury, and Fluorspar is calcium.

Multiple choice

Mining companies in Marsland can sell mineral Hydranite in Venusland at a price that is below the cost to Venusland mining companies of quarrying it. To help those Venusland mining companies, the Venusland administration plans to set a minimum selling price in Venusland for Hydranite mined in Marsland that is twenty percent greater than the average quarrying cost for mining companies in Venusland.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously threatens the success of the plan?

  1. Emerging mining companies from places other than Marsland will still be able to sell Hydranite in Venusland at a price below the cost to Venusland mining companies to quarry it.

  2. Venusland is not the only country where mining companies of Marsland currently sell Hydranite.

  3. Some Venusland mining companies that sell Hydranite have announced that they plan to decrease their price for Hydranite.

  4. The administration of Marsland will also set a minimum price for selling Hydranite in that country.

  5. The annual rate of inflation in Marsland is expected to exceed twenty percent within the next year.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

If what is stated in option (5) turns out to be true, then Venusland mining companies will still face the problem of mining companies from other places selling Hydranite at a price lower than that of Venusland mining companies which does not serve the purpose of helping Venusland mining companies. Hence, option (5) is correct.

Multiple choice

________ is the richest natural source of minerals for plants.

  1. Chemical fertilizers

  2. Soil

  3. Air

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

For plants, soil is the richest natural source of raw materials like nitrogen, phosphorus and other minerals. The absorption of these substances occurs through roots. Chemical fertilisers are synthetic-chemical substances used to enrich soil to promote plant growth. They are not natural sources of minerals for plants. Air is natural but does not contain minerals. Water contains minerals, salts or gases. But it is not the richest source of minerals for plants.

Multiple choice

The ore of aluminium is

  1. bauxite

  2. dolomite

  3. pitchblende

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

Bauxite is the primary ore from which aluminum is extracted through the Bayer process and Hall-Heroult process.

Multiple choice

The ore of calcium is

  1. bauxite

  2. dolomite

  3. pitchblende

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

Limestone is primarily composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), making it a major ore or source of calcium. Bauxite is an ore of aluminium, pitchblende is an ore of uranium, and dolomite contains both calcium and magnesium.

Multiple choice

The ore of uranium is

  1. bauxite

  2. dolomite

  3. pitchblende

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

Pitchblende is a radioactive, uranium-rich mineral ore. Bauxite is for aluminium, and limestone is for calcium.

Multiple choice

The common ore of aluminium is ______.

  1. haematite

  2. bauxite

  3. calcite

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

Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminium. Haematite is an ore of iron, while calcite is a carbonate mineral.