NATURAL RESOURCES OF INDIA

COAL

 In India, coal is the most important and abundant fossil fuel.

 It provides 55 percent of the country's energy requirements.
 The country's industrial history is based on domestic coal.
 In the last four decades, India's commercial primary energy consumption
has increased by roughly 700 percent.
 India's current commercial primary energy consumption per capita is
around 350 kg/year, which is significantly lower than that of developed
countries.
 India's energy consumption is expected to rise as a result of its growing
population, expanding economy, and desire for a better quality of life.
 Given the limited reserve potentiality of petroleum and natural gas,
environmental constraints on hydel projects, and the geopolitical
perception of nuclear power, coal will continue to play a prominent role
in India's energy scenario.
The four main types of coals are given below:

 Peat - It is a soft, dark brown substance, that contains 50% - 60% Carbon
content.
 Lignite (Soft coal)- It is brown in colour and the lowest quality of coal,
contain 60% - 70% Carbon content.
 Bituminous (Household coal)- It is the second highest quality of coal,
containing 75% - 80% Carbon content.
 Anthracite (hard coal)- It is a dark black form of coal and the highest
quality coal. It is very hard and contains 90% - 95% Carbon content.

Coal Mines in India Challenges

Coal Mining in India is faced with several challenges, including:

Environmental degradation: Coal mining has a significant impact on the

environment, including air, water, and soil pollution. Mining activities can
cause deforestation, soil erosion, land subsidence, and the destruction of
wildlife habitats.

Health hazards: Coal mining is associated with several health hazards,

including respiratory diseases, skin diseases, hearing loss, and accidents. The
workers are exposed to coal dust, which can cause black lung disease and other
respiratory illnesses.

Safety concerns: Coal mining is a hazardous occupation, and safety measures

are often inadequate. Accidents in coal mines are common, and they can result
in loss of life and property.

Land acquisition and displacement: Coal mining requires a large amount of

land, and the acquisition of land often leads to the displacement of local
communities. Displaced people often lose their livelihoods and face social and
economic hardships.

Illegal mining: Illegal mining is a major challenge in India, and it leads to a

loss of revenue for the government. Illegal miners often use unscientific mining
practices, leading to environmental degradation and safety hazards.
Technological obsolescence: The technology used in coal mining in India is
outdated, and there is a need to modernize the mining methods to increase
productivity, and efficiency and reduce environmental impact.... Read more at:
https://www.studyiq.com/articles/coal-mines-in-india-list/

PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS

 Natural gas and petroleum are non renewable energy sources.

 India's estimated natural gas reserves were 1339.57 billion cubic meters
as of March 31, 2018. (BCM).
 India produced 35.2 million tonnes of petroleum products from domestic
crude oil production, compared to 204.9 million tonnes of consumption.
 Similarly, India produced 31.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas against
a demand of 58.1 billion cubic meters.
 India was the fifth largest LNG importer in 2019.

Distribution of Natural Gas in India

 Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Khambhat, Bassein field, Bombay High,

Rajasthan's Barmer, KG basin, Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore
district, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, and so on.
 India's economically viable natural gas reserve is 541 BCM (on-shore,
Assam, and Gujarat), plus 190 BCM offshore in the Gulf of Cambay and
190 BCM in the Bombay High.
 In the Tripura Basin, a massive reserve of 400 BCM was recently
discovered.
 Aside from them, 72 BCM is in the Rava structure, and there is a large
reserve around the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
 Andaman and Nicobar reserves are estimated to be around 1700 BCM
based on remote sensing data.
 Its economic viability has yet to be determined, which is why no
production has yet begun.
 For the next 100 years, this reserve will solve India's problems or needs.
Eastern India may experience an economic revolution as a result of this.

Distribution of Petroleum in India

 The process began around 3 million years ago, during the tertiary period.
 The majority of India's oil reserves are linked to anticlines and fault
traps in tertiary sedimentary rock formations.
  Despite the fact that India's sedimentary rocks cover vast sections of the
country, structures containing oil are uncommon and only found in a few
places.
 According to the Indian Mineral Year Book of 1982, a total reserve of
468 million tonnes was estimated, with 328 million tonnes available
in Mumbai High.
 The reserves were estimated to be 500 million tonnes in 1984.
 Guwahati, Barauni, Koyali, Haldia, Mathura, Digboi, Panipat, Chennai,
Narimanam, Bongaigaon, Mumbai (HPCL), Visakhapatnam, Mumbai
(BPCL), Kochi, Numaligarh, Tatipaka (ONGC), and Bina (M.P.) are
among the seventeen public sector refineries.
 These plants have a combined refining capacity of 75.95 million tonnes
per year.

States Percentage
Mumbai High 65.28
Gujarat 18.28
Assam 14.09
Tamil Nadu 1.19
Andhra Pradesh 0.93
Arunachal Pradesh 0.23

Uses of Natural Gas

 During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, natural gas was primarily
used for street and household lighting.
 It now has a much wider range of applications in both domestic and
industrial settings.
 It is used to turn turbines for the generation of wind and solar energy.
 It's also a domestic fuel. It heats our homes and runs heaters, ovens,
boilers, and other appliances.
 Some households use compressed natural gas (CNG), which is gas stored
at a high pressure, for heating and cooking.
 CNG is also a cost-effective and environmentally friendly transportation
fuel for low-load vehicles that require high fuel efficiency.
 LNG, or liquefied natural gas, is used to power vehicles like off-road
trucks and trains.
 It is used in the generation of electricity.
 CNG is now used by a large number of buses and commercial vehicle
fleets.
  It's a component of dyes and inks.
 Rubber compounding operations use this material.
 Hydrogen derived from methane is used to make ammonia. Ammonia is
used to make a variety of chemicals, including hydrogen cyanide, nitric
acid, urea, and fertilisers.

Importance of Natural Gas

 Currently, the production of fertilisers consumes the majority of natural

gas, accounting for about 40% of total consumption.
 About 30% is used in power generation, and 10% is used in the
production of LPG.
 Nearly 10% of India's electricity was generated by gas-fired power plants.
 Despite the fact that the country is experiencing a power shortage, gas
power stations are idle due to a lack of feedstock.
 Existing plants are running at less than full capacity due to the high cost
of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Uses of Petroleum

 The majority of motive power comes from petroleum and petroleum

products.
 It's a small, lightweight liquid fuel that's changed the way people travel
on land, in the air, and on the water.
 Tankers can transport it easily from the producing areas to the consuming
areas, but pipelines are more convenient, efficient, and cost-effective.
 It produces very little smoke and no ash (as is the case with coal) and can
be used to the very last drop.
 It is an important raw material for various petro-chemical products and
provides the most important lubricating agents.

Importance of Petroleum

 When we talk about agriculture we are talking about fertilisers.

 Petroleum is used in the production of ammonia, which is used as a
nitrogen source.
 In this case, the Haber process is used. Oil is also used to
make pesticides.
  Overall, petroleum-based products are widely used
in agriculture because they aid in the operation of farm machinery and
fertiliser plants.
 Petroleum distillates such as toluene, benzene, and xylene, among others,
are used to make raw materials for products such as synthetic detergents,
dyes, and fabrics.
 Polyurethanes, which are made up of benzene and toluene, are commonly
used in oils and surfactants, as well as in varnishing wood.
 Petrochemicals are used to make the majority of plastics.
 Oil-based paints and paint additives are also made with
petrochemicals.
 Photographic film contains ethylene, a petrochemical.
 Petrochemicals are also used to make synthetic rubber, which is then
used to make rubber soles for shoes, automobile tyres, and other rubber
products.

OIL REFINERIES

 In 2019, India's crude oil reserves were estimated to be around 620

million tonnes, with most of them located offshore in the Arabian Sea and
onshore in Assam and Rajasthan.
 Around 75% of India's total oil consumption is imported.
 The oil refinery in Jamnagar (Gujarat) is the world's fifth-largest, while
RPL's new refinery, the world's sixth-largest and also in Jamnagar, was
commissioned in 2008.
 Indian Oil, the country's second-largest oil refinery, is ranked 19th in the
world. In 2018-19, India produced 34.2 million tonnes of crude oil.
Significance

 Oil production is a major source of energy, employment, and tax

revenue for the government.
 Oil plays a large and important role in the current structure of our
society.
 Oil is much more than just one of the world's most important energy
sources.
 Petroleum products, in addition to being an important source of energy,
are also used as a feedstock for a variety of consumer goods, giving
them a growing and important role in people's lives.
Drawbacks

 The oil industry poses a significant risk to the environment, and it may
have an impact on it at multiple levels: air, water, soil, and, as a result, all
living beings on our planet.
 Pollution is the most common and dangerous consequence of oil and gas
industry activities in this context.
 Pollution is linked to almost every activity in the oil and gas industry,
from exploration to refining.
 Wastewaters, gas emissions, solid waste, and aerosols produced during
drilling, production, refining (the source of the most pollution), and
transportation total over 800 different chemicals, with oil and petroleum
products dominating.
 Other environmental effects include increased greenhouse gas
emissions, acid rain, poorer water quality, and groundwater
contamination, to name a few.
 The oil and gas industry may also contribute to the loss of biodiversity
and the destruction of ecosystems that are unique in some cases.

IRON ORE

 Iron ores are rocks and minerals that can be economically mined for
metallic iron.
 Iron oxides are abundant in the ores, which range in color from dark grey
to bright yellow to deep purple to rusty red.
 In India, there are approximately 9,602 million tonnes of hematite and
3,408 million tonnes of magnetite recoverable reserves of iron ore.
 The main iron ore producers in India are Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,
Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha, Goa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Kerala, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu.

Types of Iron Ore

Magnetite

 The most important and best type of iron ore is magnetite.

 It has a metallic iron content of 72 percent.
 Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Kerala are
among the states where it can be found.
Hematite

 Hematite is another important iron source.

 It is made up of 60-70 percent metallic iron.
 It has a reddish-brown colour to it.
 Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh are among the
states where it can be found.
 This type of ore can also be found in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa in
the western part of the country.

Limonite

 Limonite is a mineral that contains 30 to 40% metallic iron.

 The majority of it is yellow in colour.
 It's iron ore of a low grade.

Siderite

 It has more impurities than siderite.

 It has a metallic iron content of about 48 percent. It's a brown colour.
 It's made up of a mix of iron and carbon. It's iron ore of a low grade.
 Due to the presence of lime, it is self-flushing.

Significance of Iron Ore

 The majority of iron ore is used to make iron, which in turn is used to
make steel.
 Steel production consumes 98 percent of all iron ore mined today.
 This includes staples, automobiles, steel beams used in building
construction, and just about anything else that requires iron and steel.
 Industry, construction, all modes of transportation, utensils and household
articles, electronic gadgets, and the list goes on and on.

MANGANESE

 After Zimbabwe, India processes the world's second-largest manganese

reserves.
 After China, Gabon, South Africa, and Australia, India is the world's
fifth-largest producer.
 The major manganese ore-producing states are Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
  More than half of India's manganese is produced in Maharashtra and
Madhya Pradesh combined.

Importance of Manganese

 Manganese is a silvery grey mineral that is extremely hard and brittle.

 It is always found in the presence of iron, laterite, and other minerals.
 Manganese in alloy form is a critical component of steel production,
and steel is one of the most important indicators of a country's industrial
economy's growth.
 Manganese ore trade volume has increased globally, including in India, in
recent years.
 India is currently one of the world's largest importers of manganese ore.

BAUXITE

 Bauxite is an ore that is used in the production of aluminum.

 Bauxite is found primarily in tertiary deposits and is commonly
associated with laterite rocks found on the plateaus and hill ranges of
peninsular India, as well as along the country's coasts.
 India produced over 20 million metric tonnes of bauxite. India had 660
million metric tonnes of bauxite reserves as of 2020.

Uses of Bauxite

 The mineral is primarily used in the Bayer process to produce

aluminum.
 It is also used as a slag corrector in the steel industry, where it replaces
fluorite.
 Bauxite is used in a variety of industries, including the chemical,
refractory, abrasive, cement, steel, and gasoline industries.
 It is used as a raw material in the manufacture of a variety of refractory
products.
 Bauxite is a key component in the manufacture of airplanes, electric
motors, machinery, and civil tools.
 It's also used as a desiccant, adsorbent, and catalyst, as well as in
the production of dental cement.
 When no other materials are available, lateritic bauxite is frequently used
as a building material.
 Construction companies use calcined bauxite as an anti-skid road
aggregate in designated areas to prevent accidents.
 Bauxite has a wide range of applications, including papermaking, water
purification, and petroleum refining.
  Bauxite is also used in other industries such as rubber, plastic, paint,
and cosmetics.

LIMESTONE

 Limestone is found in combination with calcium carbonate or calcium

and magnesium carbonate rocks.
 It can be found in most geological formations' sedimentary rocks.
 Massive limestone deposits can be found throughout the country. In
India, total limestone reserves/resources of all types and grades are
estimated to be 203,224 million tonnes.
 Karnataka has the most limestone reserves, with about 28 percent,
followed by Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, each with about 11 percent.
Gujrat, Meghalaya, and Telangana have 10%, 9%, and 8% of the
population, respectively.

Significance

 Limestone is a valuable natural resource that is used to make glass and

concrete, among other things.
 Limestone quarrying creates jobs that help to support the local economy
in the towns surrounding the quarry.
 Limestone is a key component or raw material in the manufacture of
cement, paper, concrete, and glass, as well as being used to neutralize
acidic soils and lakes.
 As a result, there is a greater industrial role as well as ecological
significance.

Environmental Impact of Limestone Mining

 Regardless of the scale of mining, the extraction of rocks and minerals

has an impact on the environment at various stages of mining, processing,
and utilization.
 Denudation of forests, water depletion, pollution of water, soil, and
air, loss of natural flora and fauna, reduction in biodiversity, erosion
of soil, instability of soil and rock masses, changes in the
landscape, and degradation of agricultural land are just a few of the
obvious environmental consequences of limestone mining.
 The severity of environmental issues is determined by the extent of
mining and the mining site's ecological sensitivity.
 Both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are impacted, with long-term
consequences that may extend beyond the mining area's boundaries.
 Lowering of water tables, habitat destruction, waste encroachment
into agricultural land, building destruction due to cracks, pollution of
rivers, loss of biodiversity, destruction of crops, unclean rainwater
harvested from roofs, and health issues such as inhalation of dust
resulting in respiratory tract infections are just a few of the consequences.