Question

Which among the following States has the main deposit of tin ore?
1. Assam
2. Jammu & Kashmir
3. Chhattisgarh
4. West Bengal

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : Chhattisgarh

The correct answer is Chhattisgarh.

• Chhattisgarh is the only tin-producing State in India.
• It also accounts for 35.4% of the tin ore reserves of India.
• Tin ore is known as cassiterite, which was reported in Dantewara district (Bastar district in formerly Madhya Pradesh) by the Directorate of Geology and Mining associated with the lepidolite bearing pegmatites.
• Cassiterite-bearing pegmatites are reportedly rich in columbite and tantalite, which are ore of rare metals niobium and tantalum, respectively.
• Lepidolite is also a source of rare alkali metals namely lithium (Li < 2.15%) cesium (Cs < 0.83%) and rubidium (Rb < 5.9%).
• Chhattisgarh has a population of 25.6 million.
• The state is currently power surplus and India's leading producer of coal, iron ore, and dolomite, with considerable reserves of minerals such as bauxite, limestone, and quartzite.

• Minerals found in the following states:
• Assam:
  • Coal, cement grade limestone, china clay, iron ore, glass sand, sillimanite, granite, etc. are the main economic minerals of Assam.
  • Out of these, coal & limestone are already being mined in Assam successfully and a few cement plants are already in operation.
  • Assam has a bright scope of development of mining and mineral-based industries.
  • The State of Assam covers an area of 78,438 sq. km.
  • It is full of natural bounties and rich in every aspect of nature including mineral wealth.
• Jammu & Kashmir:
  • Some of the important minerals found in the state are copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, chromium, gold, arsenic, kaolinite, bios-pore, ochre, coal, lignite, slate, marble, sapphire, rubellite, quartz, and serpentine.
  • The state of Jammu and Kashmir is well endowed with forest, and water resources.
  • It is, however, deficient in coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, manganese, thorium, uranium, aluminum, mica, sillimanite, phosphates, dolomite, mercury, silver, etc.
  • The mineral and power resources are, however, high unevenly distributed, and in many cases, they are not easily accessible.
  • They are mostly exhaustible.
• West Bengal:
  • West Bengal is 3rd largest in India in mineral production accounting for about one-fifth of total mineral production.
  • Coal accounts for 99% of extracted minerals of the state, which has 11% of the total national coal reserves.
  • In 2015, the state's total coal reserves/resources were estimated at 31.43 billion tonnes, major coalfields being at Raniganj, Barjora, etc, while coal production reached 5.33 million tonnes during 2015-16 (April to June 2015).
  • Deocha-Pachami Coal Block: India's largest coal mine located in the south-western part of Birbhum Coalfield in West Bengal.
  • Spread over approximately 10 sq km, in-place reserves of coal are estimated at 2,100 million tonnes with an investment potential of Rs. 20,000 crore (US$ 3 billion).